Fishing Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

Ceisteanna (437)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Ceist:

437. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the nature of the business relationship between Fexco and Bord Iascaigh Mhara in administering funding schemes for the fisheries sector; if there are direct employees of BIM available to answer queries the applicants may have on these schemes and particularly the application and drawdown of funding process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53418/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Sea Food Task Force, which I established in March 2021, made sixteen recommendations to leverage Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) funding to support Ireland's seafood sector and coastal communities in responding to the challenges faced by Brexit. To date I have announced sixteen BAR schemes, with some €305.5m funding made available to the sector.

While I have asked BIM to implement these schemes, the matter of staffing and resourcing such administrative tasks is a matter for BIM directly. Likewise any third party contractual relationships are a matter for BIM directly.

In that context I have asked BIM to respond directly to the Deputy on the questions raised.