|
IRELAND'S fishing industry was last night celebrating the creation of more than 90 seafood and marine research jobs following two key developments.
The Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny made the announcement on a visit to the national research vessel RV Celtic Explorer berthed in Dublin.
He told news organisations that a 3.5-million euro grant by the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme would create some 64 jobs, while 28 research posts have been developed out of two million euros from the International SmartOcean Graduate programme. The research project will bring together a number of universities currently working on marine research.
The news will come as a welcome tonic for a country beset by unemployment and economic woes following the collapse of some of its banks. Irish government ministers have said on a number of occasions that they see fishing and seafood as one of the drivers of economic recovery.
Mr Kenny said Ireland has been recognised as an emerging power in marine research and innovation. “This has been achieved through the mapping of the 90 per cent of Irish national territory that lies under the Atlantic, the creation of a quarter of a billion euro-worth of marine research infrastructure, and the fostering of strong linkages between industry and research centres, all of which will support employment opportunities in key areas of potential growth in the marine sector.”
The Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme is administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the Irish Sea fisheries board, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and this year alone has approved seven million euros in capital investment schemes in the seafood processing sector.
Should people be 'stimulated' to eat white fish alternatives to cod?
