IRISH OUTLINE BREXIT NO DEAL CONTINGENCY SUPPORT FOR FISHERIES

Irish outline Brexit no deal contingency support for fisheries. The Irish Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T.D, has announced details of his Department’s 2020 Budget.

The Minister stated, “This budget is unique in that it aims to preserve the strong financial supports that assist our Agri-Food sector, while simultaneously providing for the potential of a significant shock to the sector in the guise of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit. Against this backdrop, my priority has been to support sectoral vulnerabilities that exist and to maintain a strong focus on climate action and environmental sustainability. I also wanted to maintain the ambition for the development of our food industry while helping farmers, fishermen and food SME’s to navigate the challenges of Brexit. Today’s Estimates provide a gross Vote of €1.647 billion for the Department. This is €51 million more than in 2019, and is a 3% increase on the 2019 allocation.”

Outlining the Government’s ‘No deal’ Brexit package designed to assist the most vulnerable sectors in the event of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit Minister Creed continued, “The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has confirmed that the Government will provide a ‘No Deal’ contingency fund to support our most vulnerable sectors, with up to €650 million available overall, to be activated in tranches as the full impacts of Brexit emerge. €110 million will be made available for the agri-food sector in the first tranche, to be supplemented by any exceptional aid provided from the EU.”

“If the UK leaves without a deal, we will work our way through the necessary state aid provisions to deploy these resources in the most effective way possible. The provision of immediate support for our beef sector (€85 million) will be a first priority, as will support for our fishing fleet (€14 million). We will also want to support food companies wishing to re-orient production and marketing towards non UK markets (€5 million) and to provide necessary support to other sectors to improve competitiveness (€6 million).

“While supports cannot fully address the negative effects of a No Deal for the agri food and fisheries sectors, this first tranche of supports will be used to ameliorate the immediate impact on farmers and fishermen, as the full impact of a No Deal Brexit crystallises, and to make some of the adjustments needed to improve resilience for businesses in the face of new market realities.”

The provision for the Department’s Seafood Programme has been increased by €5 million, to a total of €137.8 million.

For fisheries, the provision will help fund vital investment in fishery harbours, most particularly in Killybegs, Howth and Castletownbere. The budget provision will allow the Marine Institute to progress the construction of a new €25 million modern research vessel. This will provide critical national infrastructure to enable Ireland to address the considerable challenges of Brexit and the Common Fisheries Policy as well as climate induced impacts on oceans.