€148 million for Ireland under the Common Fisheries Policy – Harrington

Fine Gael Cork South West TD, Noel Harrington, has today (Thursday) welcomed the news that Ireland is to receive €148million from the EU under the Common Fisheries Policy over the next six years. This represents a significant increase in the amount of EU funding available to assist Ireland’s seafood industry in implementing the new reformed Common Fisheries Policy. 

“Today’s announcement is a huge boost for the fisheries and seafood industry and as such is great news for Cork. Ireland is to receive €148 million in EU funds over the next six years under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). 

“The fisheries and seafood sector is hugely important for Irish jobs employing over 11,000 people around the country. In towns like Castletownbere, Union Hall and other coastal communities, 80-90% of income is directly related to fisheries. 

“I commend Minister for Agriculture and the Marine, Simon Coveney, for his work during last year’s Irish EU Presidency, in agreeing a CFP that will be hugely beneficial to Ireland. We are now seeing the fruits of those hard won negotiations with this funding announcement. 

“Under the last Common Fisheries Policy we received €70 million. The figure for Ireland under this CFP has more than doubled.

“The announcement includes a figure of €71 million for direct investment in the seafood industry to provide for both onshore and offshore jobs. I look forward to working with BIM in delivering this to all coastal communities.”