Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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585. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an action (details supplied) under the Action Plan for Rural Development; the number of the jobs targeted that have been created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37116/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Economic statistics published June 2018 by SEMRU (Social, Economic and Marine Research Unit, NUIG) provide statistics on Blue Growth. The direct economic value of Ireland’s ocean economy is €2 billion or approximately 1% of GDP. This represents a 21% increase on 2015 figures. The blue economy continues to grow at a faster pace than the general economy. Growth in 2017 was primarily driven by strong performances in aquaculture, sea fisheries, shipping and marine tourism as well as continued growth in emerging ocean industries. Employment in the sector rose from 27,888 (FTEs) in 2015 to an estimated 32,509 (FTEs) in 2017, an increase of 16.6%.