Temporary Blessing of graves scheme for fishing boats announced

A new voluntary scheme for the temporary tie-up of fishing vessels has been announced.

The initiative by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine would see the temporary voluntary tie-up of fishing vessels in the Polyvalent, Beam Trawl and Specific segments of the fishing fleet.

Fishing vessels based out of Arklow, Wicklow, Bray and Greystones Harbours will be eligible to apply for the scheme which would see vessels opt to tie up for one or two of the next three months from June 1.

Supports to fixed costs will range from €6,000 per month for a maximum of two months for the largest vessels over 24 metres, to €500 per month for a maximum of two months for the smallest vessels under 6 metres in length. The tie-up scheme will be available to a maximum of 66 per cent of the fishing fleet, in the different size categories, in any one month over the months of June, July and August.

Minister for Agriculture Micheal Creed said, ‘Our fishing sector has been particularly hard hit by the severe market disruption in Europe and internationally caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic. The closure of many markets and disruption of established distribution channels, particularly to restaurants and the food service industry domestically and internationally, has seen market demand and sale prices drop very substantially in many of our key markets. In these unique and unprecedented circumstances, it is useful to give the fishing fleet another option to help match supply with demand in the seafood markets.’

THE blessing of the graves in Glendalough and Brockagh are cancelled due to the continuing Covid-19 restrictions.

It had been planned to hold the blessing of the graves in Glendalough on Saturday, May 16, starting at 7 p.m., while Brockagh Cemetery was due to be blessed on Saturday, May 23 after 7 p.m. mass.

Both events are now cancelled for the foreseeable future.