2026-01-29

1. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will engage with an organisation (details supplied) to progress its proposal for an inshore fisheries income stabilisation and climate compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6545/26]

The Minister will know that the National Inshore Fishermen's Association has made a submission to all of us on an inshore fisheries income stabilisation and climate compensation scheme. Essentially, this would be a basic income scheme similar to that which was provided to artists in recent times. This is critical. As the Minister knows, in the past fishermen would have said, "We just want the fish; we do not want financial assistance." They need the latter now, and they will need it moving forward. I wish to engage with the Minister on that.

I thank the Deputy for the question. I know that, like others, he has had a considerable ongoing engagement with all aspects of fisheries, and his input is welcome and being considered. I am very aware of the challenges facing inshore fishermen and fisherwomen and have met with representatives of the sector, including the National Inshore Fishermen's Association, NIFA, on a number of occasions in recent months and have received a copy of the submission to which the Deputy refers. Our Department also engages regularly with representatives of the inshore sector, including NIFA, the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation, IIMRO, and the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, NIFF, on developments affecting the sector. There are many common challenges facing Ireland's seafood producers and many interdependencies across the fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors. The reductions in quotas for 2026 present a significant and particular challenge to the affected fleet segments, with the potential for downstream impacts on inshore fishermen and fisherwomen and seafood processors. When considering and developing the measures we can put in place to respond to these challenges, it is important we consider all impacts, and all opportunities, across the sector as a whole. That is why I have announced the establishment, with the support of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, of a group under the framework of our food vision strategy to consider and respond to the challenges facing the seafood sector. Preparatory work is under way to establish this group. I expect that it will be in place in the coming weeks. As I have previously indicated, Mr. Michael Berkery, former general secretary of the Irish Farmers Association, has been invited to act as the independent chair of this group. All fishery producer organisations will be invited to participate in the group, and it will provide the appropriate forum and opportunity for NIFA to outline the challenges its members face and to put forward the proposals outlined in its submission. This will allow its proposals to be considered in the wider context of challenges across the sector as a whole. I do not intend to comment on the substance of NIFA's submission at this stage because to do so would pre-empt the work of the group we are establishing and would not necessarily be appropriate at this time. However, there will be plenty of opportunity, and I know the Deputy is an active participant in the fisheries and marine committee. As we work through the framework of this, I think we will have the opportunity to discuss it.

As the Minister of State knows, the impact of Brexit hurt all fishermen, not just offshore fishermen. There was no tie-up scheme and no fuel subsidy for inshore fishermen. They have really struggled, and I have seen a big change. As I said at the outset, when I talked about a support scheme similar to what farmers have received for many years, the initial response from fishermen all around the coast was that they just wanted to fish. I absolutely respect that, but we have now got to the point where I think the likes of a basic income scheme would allow them to fish but also to have some type of financial support. This is crucial for coastal communities and fishing communities. This is about protecting this crucial heritage for our people, as we did with artists, and rightly so. This is a timely proposal. I accept that the task force needs to be established. I ask that this happens as a matter of urgency and that we engage on these matters, make quick decisions and get these financial supports to fishermen.

I assure the Deputy that it will happen as quickly as possible. Later today I will be meeting with Michael Berkery, the independent chair, to continue the discussions we have had about establishing this as quickly as possible. There is concern among the representatives of inshore fishermen and fisherwomen that the task force is a response to the large quota cut for the pelagic sector. That is true, but because we are doing this under Food Vision 2030, it is my view that we need to take into account all those who are affected. The pelagic sector has experienced a dramatic impact in terms of the fishermen and fisherwomen and the processors involved in that regard, but there is a downstream impact regarding the cost of bait, etc., in addition to the difficulties the inshore sector has already encountered, as the Deputy said, as a result of Brexit and other losses of fish. I am very conscious that the response we are putting in place as a result of the quota cut is not just concentrated on the pelagic sector. There will be an interim report to address that aspect of it, but my desire would be to see a longer term and more strategic approach to see how we can sustain that fishing effort within the inshore sector. It will be broadly based and all-encompassing.

I welcome that. It is crucial that the likes of NIFA, NIFF, the regional inshore fisheries forums, RIFFs, and the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation, IIMRO, are at the table too. There are about 900 inshore fishermen, according to NIFA. Imagine if we could protect their livelihoods with a basic income scheme, which would mean that they would not have to go on the dole. It is economically sensible to do this, as we did with artists, but such a scheme would acknowledge that it is just not sustainable any more for them to be on their own and try to earn a living due to conditions beyond their control, including climate, increased costs and so on. This is a really positive contribution. It is real leadership from NIFA on this issue. My view is that it has been coming for a long time. There will be engagements in the Oireachtas fisheries committee on this soon. I imagine there will be strong cross-party support for this proposal. We need to deliver it in the short term as opposed to the medium or long term. I look forward to continued engagement with the Minister of State.

I am very conscious of the impact the small inshore fishermen and fisherwomen have on their communities. Sometimes it is just a living for their own families, but it is also part of the cultural life of some of these little villages and hamlets along our coast that many people take the opportunity to visit as part of their getaways from the larger cities, a tourism component. At the heart of it, however, are the people who are struggling to survive. As regards the loss involved, there are other opportunities. They could probably leave and get other jobs more easily, but that would be a huge drain and a loss to the communities involved in terms of the cultural and historical dimension, and it would suck the life out of those communities. We have a responsibility to address that. I heard some statistics on the news earlier about the population drain in certain rural areas, including a few in Donegal, where some schools are down to having maybe just two or three students now. We have to address that aspect of this as well insofar as we can.