Vindictive Rooker should go!
01 April 2006
It’s time for Lord Rooker to resign!
I am appalled by his latest attack on livelihoods in the fishing industry. Not satisfied with letting Northern Ireland fishermen down by failing to fight their corner in Brussels last December, he, today, delivers another attack on fishing livelihoods by refusing the reasonable request for Tie Up Aid.
After being exposed as wrong in claiming EU legislation prohibited further Tie Up Aid, this decision looks as churlish and vindictive as it is unjustified. DARD, courtesy of the EU, prohibits fishing Irish Sea for 11 weeks. It is permitted by Europe to pay compensation but this year selfishly refuses to do so. If Tie Up Aid was justified in 2004 and 2005, and it was, then it is equally justified in 2006. So what has changed, other than exposure of the Department’s incompetence in interpreting EU Regulations?
This Minister’s gross neglect of the fishing sector suggests he would be happy for the industry to go to the wall.
I trust Lord Rooker is not again playing politics, as he was in December (when he said if we wanted a Minister at the Brussels negotiations we should agree on devolution). The fact that he consulted the Secretary of State before taking this decision suggests he might be. (As DFP Minister he has the authority to sanction the small amount of money involved.) Are we again witnessing punitive direct rule to try and lever us into an unacceptable form of devolution? Shame on anyone who would play politics with fishing livelihoods.”
Notes to Editors:
1. Pursuant to the Cod Recovery Scheme, now in its 7th year, there is an 11 week closure of fishing in the Irish Sea, which runs from mid February till the end of April.
2. Council Regulation (EC) No 2792/1999 governs the payment of compensation. Under it aid was paid in 2004 and 2005. This year on being pressed to renew the aid Lord Rooker wrote to Mr Allister MEP on 31 January 2006 saying such was prohibited beyond two years by the EU Regulation. Mr Allister disputed this and invited Commissioner Borg to give the Commission’s interpretation of the Regulation. On 8 March 2006 Dr Borg wrote to Mr Allister saying that whereas the Regulation capped compensation at a cumulative total of 12 months, in Northern Ireland there had only been payments out in respect of 5 months, and therefore 7 months compensation was still payable by the national government and it could be spread over several years.
3. Mr Allister immediately wrote to Lord Rooker inviting him to review his decision and make the payment.
4. The amount of money is modest, around £800,000.
