MINISTER OF State for Fisheries Tony Killeen has given a cautious welcome to the European Commission's decision to assist fishermen who have been hardest hit by the current fuel crisis.
The commission says a range of emergency measures have been agreed because of the "unique situation" that fishermen are facing.
However, Mr Killeen said that while he welcomed the "principle of a pan-European response, as argued by Ireland", the amount of actual funding available was unclear.
"We will be arguing that those countries which are relatively small but which have already taken long-term measures - such as our current decommissioning scheme - should benefit proportionately," Mr Killeen told The Irish Times.
Details are expected to be debated at next Tuesday's EU fisheries council, including grants for a temporary tie-up from fishing. The commission says the measures will allow for "temporary derogations" to the European Fisheries Fund.
This will allow money to be "targeted quickly" to provide "short-term support to the hardest-hit".