Dail
Management of Atlantic Mackeral Stock – Sanctions on Iceland + Faroe Islands
The mackerel fishery is worth €125 million in a €1 billion fishing industry. It is a cause of huge concern for the present industry and, if it continues, the danger exists that the sustainable mackerel stock will be wiped out in the north-east Atlantic because of overfishing by these two nations. The breach of the fisheries agreements may cost the Irish fishing industry between €10 million and €15 million in potential TAC adjustments. Abusing the quotas in this way by breaking all international agreements on mackerel quotas can be regarded only as modern day piracy.
€5 million provided to support the creation and development of Agri-Food enterprises in Rural Ireland – Hogan
Creating 200 jobs directly and supporting jobs indirectly
Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government announced today (6th March, 2012) that €5 million in funding will be provided in 2012/2013 to support the creation and development of Agri-Food enterprises in rural Ireland. Based on recent research conducted by the Local Development sector this funding has the potential to create more than 200 jobs directly as well as sustaining a number of jobs currently available in the sector.
€35 million initiative to replace rented prefabs with permanent classrooms in schools
The Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairí Quinn, TD, announced today, the biggest initiative ever undertaken to replace rented prefabs in schools.
This is not part of the five-year building programme, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
200 schools will be offered grants to build permanent accommodation this year – over a third of all schools who currently rent prefabs.
The funding will be used to replace prefabs that are used to provide resource rooms and classroom accommodation for an estimated 6,000 pupils.
A total of €35 million has been allocated for this initiative in 2012.
Harrington raises concerns in Brussels over EU fisheries policy
Sustainability of Irish fishing industry must be maintained
Speaking on his return from an inter-parliamentary meeting in Brussels this week to discuss European fisheries policy, Fine Gael Cork South West Deputy, Noel Harrington, expressed concerns over proposals put forward by the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, Maria Damanaki, saying they would not be in the best interest of Ireland.
“Inter-parliamentary discussions which examined the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the Common Fisheries Policy took place this week in Brussels. During these discussion numbers issues arose which were of concern to the Irish delegation and which were brought to the attention of the Commissioner.