Ireland

Brussels Confirms 50 Million EU Fisheries Money

The EU has confirmed that money allocated to the Fisheries budget was taken back to central funds and then reallocated to reproductive health via Marie Stopes International.

Dana Rosemary Scallon, Member of the European Parliament (for Ireland), speaking from Strasbourg, said she was astounded that 50 million Euro of EU Fisheries money has been wiped from the EU fishery budget. 'This is totally unacceptable especially at a time when the Irish fishing industry is in turmoil and the livelihood of many Irish fishing families has been devastated as a result of the latest EU restrictions and cuts.'

Yesterday Dana advised EU fisheries Committee Chairman Struan Stevenson that 50 million of fisheries monies had been wiped from the fisheries budget. EU secretariat admitted that Dana's information was correct. Fisheries Committee chairman Mr Stevenson said that he was deeply concerned that 50 million Euros of fisheries monies had been diverted to Marie Stopes International(MSI).

Dana said that at a time when our fishermen are facing severe economic hardship and suffering financial loss, there are serious questions to be answered as to how and why 50 million Euros of fishing money has been wiped from the fisheries budget.

'It is now time for our government to ask serious questions and there must be an investigation into this disgraceful and scandalous reappropriation of fisheries funds,' concluded Dana.

MSI has written the handbook on EU funding of population and reproductive health, supported by the Commission for Development as essential reading.

Press release