Northern Ireland
Assembly

Dr William McCrea MP MLA
Chair, Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX

Ms Michelle Gildernew MP MLA
Minister for Agriculture and
Rural Development
Room 438
Dundonald House
Belfast
BT4 3SB

25 April 2008

Dear Minister

COMMITTEE MEETING 22 APRIL 2008 - NI FISHING CRISIS

Members of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee were apprised at the above meeting of a briefing session I hosted between officials from the fishing industry and the Department on 18 April 2008.

During the course of the briefing it became apparent that, under Commission Regulation (EC) No 875/2007 the Spanish government were making payments of up to €30,000 per applicant. This regulation is more commonly referred to as “de minimis”.

The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development asks that, and is supportive of, the Minister urgently seeking approval from Executive colleagues to make similar payments to the Northern Ireland fishing industry.

Yours faithfully

Dr William McCrea MP MLA
Chairperson to the Committee for
Agriculture and Rural Development