Salmon Hardship Fund - Community Support Scheme Extended

"The national allocation of €5 million focuses on communities affected by the drift/draft net ban and is referred to as a Community Support Scheme. The scheme is aimed at providing funding to assist in the diversification of coastal communities who were traditionally reliant on commercial salmon fishing. Those eligible would include anyone previously employed in drift/draft net salmon fishing, ancillary activities or communities directly or indirectly affected by the ban.

Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC) have emphasised that this scheme is not directed at commercial salmon fishing license holders who have had the opportunity to avail of payments from the €25 million Salmon Hardship Scheme, but rather at the development of additional economic opportunities for crew members and employees in the processing and ancillary sectors in the communities.

 

Killybegs Workshop

Frank Kelly, explained that as part of the delivery of the fund, the company itself hopes to deliver a training programme focusing on retraining of the affected labour force thus allowing for the diversification into non-salmon fishing activity. Although it is proposed to deliver the training throughout the company’s catchment area, the first workshop will take place on Tuesday 14th October, 2008 in the Tara Court Hotel in Killybegs commencing at 8.00pm. Anyone who feels they are eligible, or wishes to find out more should attend this workshop.

Mr Kelly also stressed the importance of applicants submitting their applications as soon as possible. He said that “ while the closing date for applications has been extended nationwide to March 31st, the initial closing date for completion and drawdown of grant remains at December 31st, 2009”. This in effect could leave the promoter under a time pressure to deliver the project and therefore reduce the likelihood of the project application being successful in the first instance. He also pointed out that as Donegal Local Development Company has only a total fund available of €255,000, its very likely that this fund will be allocated sooner rather than later.

According to a report published by the CSO in March 2007, the total value of fish production in Ireland was €286.4 million in 2004, which included €180.9 million of sea fish landings, €100.5 million of aquaculture and an estimated €5.0 million of inland catches. Donegal has six of the total 39 key Irish ports identified in the report, including Downings, Greencastle, Killybegs, Malin Head, Moville and Rathmullan. These ports together accounted for 113,619 tonnes of a total 309,332 tonnes of fish landings in Ireland during 2004, or 36% of all landings, valued at €39.9 million.

All areas of Donegal will be eligible for the scheme and applicants are urged to contact their own local LEADER Company for further details. The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources agreed that the financial support for the Salmon Hardship Community Support Scheme 2008 – 2009 should be delivered through LEADER companies operating in coastal counties. It was subsequently agreed that the Scheme would be delivered using the existing guidelines of the LEADER Programme.

The rate of grant will vary between 40% and 65% for diversification for private promoter to 100% for training activities. For community organisations, the rate of grant will vary between 75% and 100% and voluntary labour and or value of site may be allowed as part match funding. Activity undertaken or work commenced by a project promoter prior to date of the agreement is not eligible for funding.

Initially, applicants will be invited to submit a Pre-Application Meeting Request Form which will lead to a meeting with DLDC staff. At the pre-application meeting, staff will provide advice and guidance on whether a project proposal might meet the programme eligibility criteria as well as the information required for a full application.

Aid may take the form of support under the following Measures.

Measure	Description
1	Re-training of labour force previously involved in drift/draft net salmon fishing.
2	Retraining of labour force previously involved in ancillary activities associated with the commercial wild salmon fishery.
3	Diversification into non-salmon fishing economic activity
4	Diversification from ancillary activities previously dependent on the wild salmon fishery v. Education and employment preparation.
5	Projects to promote the quality of the coastal environment.
6	Any other appropriate community project identified during the course of the scheme.

For further information, or to receive a Pre-application meeting request form, pleaseontact either Karen Patton, Sinead Mc Laughlin or Frank Kelly on 0749127056 or Geoff Solly on 0749723368.