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McConalogue announces 62 grant awards by Fisheries Local Action Groups under the Department’s EMFF Programme

The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today announced the award of 62 grants worth €915,295 by the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups established under Ireland’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Programme.  The grants are awarded to 62 mostly local coastal community groups and micro enterprises. The grants are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. 

 

Announcing the grant awards, Minister McConalogue said: “The FLAG Scheme under my Department’s EMFF Seafood Development Programme has been a huge success.  With the grant awards I am announcing today, the seven FLAGs have now successfully dispersed their full €12 million allocation under my Department’s EMFF Programme.   The FLAG Scheme has been operating since just 2017, following a short pilot in the previous programme and has gone from strength to strength.  This is testament not just to the demand for such local development funding in our coastal communities but very much to the hard work of the local volunteers, many drawn from our seafood and wider marine sectors, who make up the boards of each of our seven FLAGs”. 

 

Minister McConalogue added: “I believe that the FLAG initiative has significant additional potential in the years ahead to further drive start-ups and the development of seafood and marine businesses in our coastal communities and can be a key element of our strategy in mitigating the impacts of Brexit on our coastal communities”.

 

The FLAG scheme is now closed, having expended its full allocation and a process will be initiated as part of the preparation of the new Seafood Development Programme 2021-27 to appoint FLAGs for the next programme period.  The new FLAGs will be operational in 2022.

 

Details of the FLAG scheme can be found here. 

           

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 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

West

4

€82,704

€42,158

North West

16

€568,752

€272,959

North

10

€618,558

€306,347

North East

3

€56,534

€45,227

South East

4

€49,265

€38,236

South West

12

€247,334

€107,842

South

13

€193,729

€102,523

TOTAL

62

€1,816,879

€915,295

 

Details of the individual grant awards are set out below for each of the seven FLAGs.

 

FLAG West

Applicant

Project Title

Support Rate %

Investment

Grant

Séamus O'Flatharta

Inis Oírr Glamping and Campsite

40

€17,460

€6,984

Oranmore Castle

Oranmore Castle Cultural Centre

40

€42,553

€17,021

Cuan Beo CLG

Cuan Beo - Implementing a holistic approach to sustainability in Galway Bay 2020

80

€16,191

€12,953

Spiddal Craft & Design Centre

Online marketing campaign

80

€6,500

€5,200

 

Total

 

€42,158

 

 

 

FLAG North West

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Ballyglass Crew

Ballyglass Crew Yachtmaster

50

€5,300

€2,650

Eachtrai UISCE Teoranta T/A UISCE

Training application

50

€21,741

€10,870

Sligo Rowing Club Co Ltd

Purchase of Safety Launch Boat

80

€9,185

€7,348

Bellacragher Boat Club

Printing of Claggan Ferry Maps, Drop down Banners, Social media promotion, Signs and provision of two RIB Shore Trailers

60

€15,539

€9,323

Todhchaí Phobail Acla

To assess the feasibility of Achill Island becoming a community owned electricity and hydrogen producer through wind power.

80

€24,280

€19,424

Ballycroy Community Council Ltd

Ballycroy Greenway Desktop feasibility with potential design works

80

€15,000

€12,000

Mayo County Council

Feasibility study on the construction of a slipway on Clare Island

60

€25,000

€15,000

Mayo County Council

Westport Lido (Outdoor Swimming Pool - Tidal)

50

€24,944

€12,500

The Lost Valley

Support coastal heritage and tourism by improvements to access route

40

€99,518

€39,807

Rosses Point Development Association CLG & Sligo County Council

Feasibility Study for Sligo Community Boat Park

25

€193,860

€48,465

Belderrig Dev Committee Ltd

Restoration of Road to Carpark at Belderrig Harbour

50

€41,841

€20,920

Tullaghan Development Association

Developing Marine tourism for County Leitrim

80

€1,861

€1,489

St. Colman's Care Centre CLG

St. Colman's Care Centre - upgrade existing facilities & equipment

80

€56,515

€45,212

River Moy Search and Rescue Ballina CLG

Water conservation in the Moy Catchment area

80

€6,096

€4,877

Leitrim County Council

Feasibility Study - Exploring sea access at Leitrim consultation scoping document - Wild Atlantic Way

100

€3,075

€3,075

Neart Acla CTR

Achill Traditional Currach Project

80

€24,996

€19,996

 

Total

 

€272,959

 

 

 

FLAG North

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Iontaobhas Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair

Rochtain do chathaoireacha rothaí, ráillí láimhe agus balla carrchlóis

80

€44,000

€35,200

Glenties Community Playgroup Limit4ed

To develop a creative and imaginative outdoor environment which will be designed to a Nautical Pirate Theme

80

€39,500

€31,600

Ardara Artists Resource Centre

Renovate existing building in Ardara to enable it to be used by the community

80

€48,750

€39,000.00

St. Catherine's Vocational School

learning in area of cultural, arts, marine

80

€49,455

€39,564.00

Donegal County Council

Provision of Scenic Viewing Points and improved tourism access, Melmore , Downings Donegal

60

€52,300

€31,380.00

18th Donegal Moville Port Sea Scouts

RYA Level 1 & 2 Power Boat, RYA Foundation Safety Rescue Training, RYA Sail T

51

€4,800

€2,448.00

Cara Na nOilean Teo

Modernisation of Ferry "Coll"

32

€96,087

€30,747.84

Mullinasole Bay Water Sports Club

Mullinasole Bay Access Regeneration Phase 1

51

€63,400

€32,334.00

KT Nets

Upgrade of facilities at KT nets

32

€128,666

€41,173.12

Teach Bhillie

Síneadh agus uasghradú le foirgneach Theach Bhillie

25

€91,600

€22,900.00

 

Total

 

€306,347.44

 

FLAG North East

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Baldoyle Forum Clg

Baldoyle Community Hall Development Feasibility Study

80

€10,000

€8,000

Rush Tourism

Pirate Sculpture for Rush

80

€11,604

€9,283

Skerries Rowing Club

Design Team Fees for Skerries Rowing Club Boathouse

80

€34,930

€27,944

 

Total

 

€45,227

 

FLAG South East

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Ladies Cove Community Coastal Project

Improvement works to Ladies Cove

80

€30,687

€24,549

Bannow Historical Society

Training in Maritime Heritage Preservation and Celebration

80

€12,728

€10,182

Passage East Hurling Club

Beat the Ferryman Swim

60

€1,670

€1,000

Hook Rural Tourism Ltd

Hike to the Hook 2020 & Social Media Development

60

€4,180

€2,504

 

Total

 

€38,236

 

FLAG South West

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Valentia Island Way

Cookery school and demonstration kitchen

37

€21,657

€7,997

Irish Coastal Rowing Federation

All-Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships 2021

80

€20,548

€16,438

Dingle Sea Safari Limited

Passenger Vessel

50

€50,460

€25,000

Patrick Browne

Supply  of Local Markets with "Fish from boat to table "  directly from MFV Ocean Dawn

50

€5,340

€2,670

Badoiri an Bhlascaoid Teoranta

Self-drive hire boats

25

€44,142

€11,035

Kerry Aqua Terra Limited

Boat, equipment and crew protection from elements

50

€4,950

€2,475

The Dingle Way

Coastal Trail , Cultural Marine Information Boards and Seating Areas.

80

€12,196

€9,757

Valentia Rowing Club

one design rowing racing boat & 0ars, traditional 4 oar boat trailer & launching trolley

77

€6,500

€5,000

Irish Elasmobranch Group

Underwater survey drone

80

€8,480

€6,784

Blascaoid Mór Teoranta

Equipment Boat Package

25

€23,163

€5,790

Dingle Harbour Boat Hire

Purchase of equipment and boats

28

€47,894

€13,293

Éigse na Brídeoige

Éigse Online: A series of performances, talks, seminars and interviews on the song tradition of Kerry

80

€2,000

€1,600

 

Total

 

€107,842

 

 

 

 

FLAG South

Applicant

Project Title

Rate %

Total Cost

Grant Aid

Cumann Na Daoine

building community resilience and understanding of climate change as it will impact very directly on coastal communities

80

€6,751

€5,401

Ellen Hutchins Festival

She Gathered Seaweed on the Seashore: Celebrating the Botany of Bantry Bay

62

€3,250

€2,000

Ard na Gaoithe

Support to sustain and diversify Ard na Gaoithe B&B and Cape Clear Foodie Stall

40

€2,562

€1,024

Roaring Water Marine

Equipment to expand business.

50

€1,719

€859

Bantry Bay Boat Hire Limited

New Kayaks, Equipment & Boat Engine

50

€9,325

€4,662

Roaring Water Sea Vegetable Company Limited

Roaring Water Sea Vegetable Co processing unit

50

€17,490

€8,745

Schull Regatta

Schull Regatta  2021

40

€4,821

€2,000

Galley Flash Rowing Club

Maximising equipment resources 2021 Sculling Oars

80

€1,060

€848

Skibbereen Rowing Club

Safety Launch

80

€8,275

€6,620

ZT Fish Company Limited

Mobile Retail Unit

50

€23,495

€11,747

Travara Shellfish Limited

Infrastructure and equipment

50

€23,827

€11,913

Myross Rowing Club Company Limited

Club fleet upgrade

65

€7,750

€5,000

Allihies Seafood Limited

Developing a sustainable micro algae cultivation and processing facility

50

€83,401

€41,700

 

Total

 

€102,523

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND TOTAL

€1,816,879

€915,295