Minister Dooley announces funding for the Seafood sector in Budget 2027

Extracted from Marine Times: 

Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley TD, today announced the Budget 2027 allocation for the fisheries sector.

In welcoming the Budget 2027 supports for the fisheries sector, Minister Dooley said: “I am pleased to announce that I have secured a significant budget of €174.8 million to support the Seafood Sector for 2027. This Budget delivers a significant investment in our coastal communities, with funding for vital capital infrastructure across our harbours. By safety-proofing and modernising these facilities, we are actively strengthening the fishing industry and the wider marine economy. It demonstrates this Government’s commitment to protecting local livelihoods and ensuring our harbours are ready to meet the challenges and opportunities for the future.”

Minister Dooley said: “I have secured an additional €20 million to progress recommendations from the report of the independent Chair, Michael Berkery, of the Food Vision Seafood Sector Sub-Group. This Report was commissioned under the auspices of Food Vision 2030. Together with Minister Heydon our aim in establishing this Group was to harness the collective experience and expertise of industry in proposing a suite of measures that will support the sector through the challenging period ahead. For 2027, I will be engaging with the relevant stakeholders, colleagues across Government and the EU Commission on progressing these proposed measures.’’

Minister Dooley added: “Our fishermen and women both inshore and offshore, our processors and aquaculture producers and our fisheries co-operatives are the backbone of our rural coastal communities, and our seafood sector is vital to maintain the economic viability of those communities. The seafood sector also underpins the social fabric of coastal communities and helps deliver on environmental sustainability.”

Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme 2021-2027, which is co-funded by the Government and the EU Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is the primary source of funding for the Irish commercial seafood sector.

The programme funds schemes providing grant aid to industry, these are primarily administered by BIM on behalf of the Department. The funding also goes to the marine agencies for a range of measures including scientific research and data collection; fisheries control and enforcement activities; promotion and marketing of Irish seafood; technical and advisory services to industry; training for industry; capacity building, knowledge sharing and support services to promote innovation and sustainability across fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing.

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