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Fishermen can retrain for
merchant navy
10.07.08
INISHOWEN fishermen who
have been made redundant will be able to re-train
for the merchant navy in the future, it's been
announced.
The move was welcomed by Deputy Joe McHugh who
proposed the scheme several months ago. Minister for
Agriculture and Fisheries Brendan Smith this week
said it was a programme he intended to implement. |
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Deputy McHugh said the
training scheme would "go a long way" towards easing
the unemployment rates in coastal communities.
"Re-training redundant fishermen for the merchant
navy makes perfect sense and it has long been
advocated by people, both in the fishing industry
and the coastal communities. |
I am glad that the
Minister has taken these views on board and I would
hope that we will see a large increase in redundant
fishermen taking up jobs in the merchant navy," said
Deputy McHugh.
“Greencastle, Downings and Killybegs were once the
most thriving towns in the country. Fishing was not
just a job, it was a way of life. These communities
have been slowly decimated due to a lack of
leadership at a political level. This commitment
goes a long way to help those affected by
redundancies, but there is a lot more needed to be
done," added the Fine Gael T.D.
He said the Government now needed to prioritise the
new scheme.
"I will continue to lobby the Government and the
Minister to fast track this scheme so that redundant
fishermen are given the opportunity to work in an
industry that they have lived and breathed all of
their lives.” |
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