An elected member of Údarás na Gaeltachta has claimed that the agency may be forced to stop a grants scheme for small fishermen due to an EU fisheries directive relating to the size of the Irish fleet.
Cllr Fiachra Ó Céilleachair said the loss of the assistance package would be a blow to what has been one of the traditional industries underpinning Gaeltacht communities.
Cllr Ó Céilleachair said the Údarás grants for marine punts, pot haulers and outboard engines for fisheries purposes had been of vital assistance to small fishermen operating from Heilbhic and Baile na nGall in Co Waterford over the years.
The Labour councillor wants Údarás na Gaeltachta to be allowed continue in what he describes as "this positive role" and said the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources should seek a derogation from the regulations that have resulted from the reorganisation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy agreed on December 20th last.
Údarás na Gaeltachta officials recently informed board members that they had received advice from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) that the authority's fishing grants should be abolished due to EU Ruling 13 (2) 2371/2002.
Under that regulation, according to the BIM assessment, continuation of such State subvention schemes would lead to a sanction involving a 3 per cent reduction in the national fishing fleet coming into play.
"The fishing industry is being subjected to such restrictive practices as a result of our Government acceding to an EU common policy skewed against Irish interests in general, and in particular against those of small fishermen such as those in the Gaeltachtanna," Cllr Ó Céilleachair said.
"Ireland, despite having 16 per cent of EU fishing waters, is allocated just 4 per cent of the allowable catches. I don't think Irish agriculture would stand for a similar situation in their sector.
"Similarly, the choice of either scrapping grants or cutting the fleet would not be so easily made in the case of farming. It should be no different in fishing," he said.