Fuel costs for inshore fishers
Deputy O'Sullivan said petrol-powered inshore fishing boats are excluded from the VAT refund available to diesel boats, creating an unfair anomaly. He sought a level playing field for small sustainable fishers.
We are out of time now but I will take 30-second questions from each of the three remaining Deputies.
Comment on this
I wish to raise another cost-of-fuel issue, specifically as it pertains to the fishing sector. I raise the plight of the small inshore boats, specifically those punts that fish for crab and lobster. Those punts are generally run by outboard engines. Those engines are available only in petrol form, so the fishers cannot avail of the VAT back that the fishers on the bigger boats that are run by diesel are able to avail of. It is an anomaly. I am looking for a level playing field for those small sustainable fishers in the inshore sector. I would like to see them get VAT back on the petrol they use, just for that sector.