The European Commission is set to approve a plan by the Government to decommission one-third of Ireland's white fish fleet.
The EU Fisheries Commissioner, Joe Borg, is to approve a Government subsidy of €66 million to take some 120 trawlers out of the fleet. This will mean some €500,000 for each fisherman who applies to leave the sector.
The Government made the application for state aid in August, and following an exchange of information, it has been approved by the European Commission.
Brussels had sought clarification on the need to set a maximum financial limit for those benefiting from the scheme.
Seán Ó Neachtain MEP, a member of the fisheries committee in the European Parliament, said that as this decommissioning programme is put in place it must not allow the European Commission to reduce the quota entitlements for Irish fishermen.
Irish fishermen must have a right to 'quota stability' so that they can make commercial decisions on a firm footing into the future, he said.
