Minister McConalogue announces further 33 grant awards by EMFF Fisheries Local Action Groups
- Foilsithe: 23 Deireadh Fómhair 2020
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 11 Aibreán 2025
The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced a third tranche in 2020 of grant awards worth €558,039 to 33 local community groups and micro enterprises by five of the Fisheries Local Action Groups established under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
Announcing the third tranche of awards, Minister McConalogue said:
“I am delighted to announce today a further 33 coastal projects to benefit from EMFF funding through the Fisheries Local Action Groups established as part of my Department’s EMFF Programme supporting the development of our seafood sector and coastal communities. These latest grant awards mean a total of €3.3 million FLAG funding has been awarded this year alone to 188 coastal projects.”
Minister McConalogue added:
“These projects will provide valuable economic and social benefits to our coastal communities during a difficult period for many. This is just one of the ways in which my Department’s EMFF Programme is making a positive difference to our coastal communities.”
Details of the FLAG scheme and how to apply can be found at www.bim.ie/schemes/
Notes for the Editor:
The EMFF Operational Programme was launched in January 2016. The Programme provides €240m in funding to the seafood sector (fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing) over the period 2014 to 2020. The Programme is co-funded by the Exchequer and the EU.
FLAG, Fisheries Local Area Action Group (2014 – 2020) is a coastal community development strategy with a fund of €12 million for 7 designated Irish coastal communities. The 7 FLAGs are South FLAG (Cork), Southwest (Kerry, Limerick), South East (Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow) West, (Galway, Clare), Northwest (Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim), North (Donegal), and North East (Dublin, Louth, Meath).
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Seafood Development Agency, assists FLAGs to deliver this scheme through administering supports via grant-aid, training and on the ground facilitation, with dedicated regional FLAG coordinators in each region.
The grant awards were as follows:
| FLAG | Number projects | Total Investment | Grant Awards |
| South | 10 | €167,875 | €110,921 |
| Southeast | 6 | €182,160 | €145,728 |
| North | 4 | €172,630 | €104,904 |
| Northwest | 4 | €207,321 | €89,978 |
| West | 9 | €157,025 | €106,509 |
| Total | 33 | €887,012 | €558,039 |
Details of the individual grant awards are set out below for each of the 5 FLAGs.
FLAG South
| Applicant | Project Title | Rate | Total Cost | Grant Aid |
| Ring Rowing Club | Equipment | 80% | 6,500.00 | 5,200.00 |
| Courtmacsherry Rowing Club CLG | Equipment | 80% | 9,985.00 | 7,988.00 |
| Oceans of Discovery | Oceans of Discovery Scuba Diving & Marine Education / Promoting Corks Underwater World | 50% | 20,063.00 | 10,031.50 |
| Wild Atlantic Glamping Ltd. | Equipment | 50% | 11,252.00 | 5,626.00 |
| Clean Coasts Ballynamona | Equipment | 80% | 31,666.80 | 25,333.44 |
| Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association CLG | Equipment | 80% | 22,448.00 | 17,958.40 |
| Gecko Adventures | Watersports Equipment | 50% | 30,016.00 | 15,008.00 |
| Ballycotton Development Company Limited | Village Island Mural | 80% | 1,142.00 | 913.60 |
| Elln Hutchins | Seaweed Educational Supports | 80% | 9,902.00 | 7,921.60 |
| Baltimore Community Council | Croí Na Mara | 60% | 24,900.00 | 14,940.00 |
| Total | 167,874.80 | 110,920.54 |
FLAG Southeast
| Applicant | Project Title | Rate | Total Cost | Grant Aid |
| Southend Family Resource Centre / Southend Community Development Group | Southend Kayak Group and Rocks development | 80% | 14,083.05 | 11,266.44 |
| Wicklow Aquanauts | Upgrading & Development of Current Facilities | 80% | 9,349.00 | 7,479.20 |
| Ramsgrange Mens Shed | Ramsgrange Mens Shed Wood Work Project enhancement | 80% | 7,357.00 | 5,885.60 |
| Dungarvan Men's Shed Association | Upgrading Facilities | 80% | 43,395.25 | 34,716.20 |
| St Kearns Rowing Club | Anti Vandal Unit and Rowing Machines to teach rowing techniques | 80% | 27,975.30 | 22,380.24 |
| Our Lady’s Island Community Development Company Ltd. | Our Lady's Island Tourist Interpretive centre | 80% | 80,000.00 | 64,000.00 |
| Total | 182,159.60 | 145,727.68 |
FLAG North
| Applicant | Project Title | Rate | Total Cost | Grant Aid |
| Donegal County Council | Harbour Facilities | 60% | 26,400.00 | 15,840.00 |
| Coiste Forbartha na Carraige | Footbridge | 80% | 32,627.12 | 26,101.70 |
| On the Rocks | Pods | 40% | 69,800.00 | 27,920.00 |
| Muileann Coirce Leitir CTR | Siúlóid Abhainn na Timpeallachta (Environmental River Walk) | 80% | 43,803.32 | 35,042.66 |
| Total | 172,630.44 | 104,904.35 |
FLAG Northwest
| Applicant | Project Title | Rate | Total Cost | Grant Aid |
| Mayo North Destination Steering Group | Support for Mayo North Tourism promotion and development plan 2020 – 2023 | 80% | 22,623.27 | 18,098.62 |
| Jasmin Priegelmeir | Cré Clare Island Pottery Shop | 40% | 14,698.05 | 5,879.22 |
| Mayo County Council/Belmullet Tidy Towns | Mayo County Council/Belmullet Tidy Towns | 33% | 150,000.00 | 50,000.00 |
| Ceide Coast Community | Feasibility study for Ceide Coast Incubation Hub | 80% | 20,000.00 | 16,000.00 |
| Total | 207,321.32 | 89,977.84 |
FLAG West
| Applicant | Project Title | Rate | Total Cost | Grant Aid |
| J & S Ocean Products | Upgrading Processing Equipment | 80% | 16,549.00 | 13,239.20 |
| Séamus Ó Flatharta | Inis Oírr Glamping and Campsite | 40% | 17,460.00 | 6,984.00 |
| Oranmore Castle | Oranmore Castle Cultural Centre | 40% | 42,553.21 | 17,021.28 |
| Calluragh House Concerts | Workshop Improvements | 40% | 7,801.00 | 3,120.40 |
| Loop Head Tourism Ltd | Development of the tourism product on Loop Head peninsula which will have a positive effect on the local communities | 80% | 4,900.00 | 3,920.00 |
| Cuan Beo CLG | Cuan Beo - Implementing a holistic approach to sustainability in Galway Bay 2020 | 80% | 16,191.55 | 12,953.24 |
| Spiddal Craft & Design Centre | Online marketing campaign | 80% | 6,500.00 | 5,200.00 |
| Owen O Connell | Training | 50% | 2,000.00 | 1,000.00 |
| Údarás na Gaeltachta | Slí Chonamara Trail | 100% | 43,070.58 | 43,070.58 |
| Total | 157,025.34 | 106,508.70 | ||
| Overall Total | 887,011.50 | 558,039.12 |