Coveney pressed on sea compensation report

A European parliament committee has written to Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney seeking an explanation for why his department is continuing to ignore a critical ombudsman’s report.

In 2009, the then-ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, reported on her investigation into the Lost at Sea Scheme and found it had been unfair to a Donegal woman who lost her husband and son in a trawler tragedy.

Ms O’Reilly said the Byrne family had been excluded from a compensation scheme for stricken trawlers and were therefore entitled to €240,075 in compensation.

She later criticised Fianna Fáil’s decision to enforce its whip system to stop Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin getting the Oireachtas Agriculture committee to endorse her report.

However, after three years of the Fine Gael and Labour Coalition, the Byrne family has still been denied its compensation.

The Byrne family presented it case to Europe in February.

In response, the parliament’s petitions’ committee chairman has written to Mr Coveney looking for clarification as to why the family was not treated fairly.

Chairwoman Erminia Mazzoni’s letter asked why “so few eligible families benefited from the scheme which was specifically designed to assist them”.

A statement from the Department of Agriculture said Mr Coveney would be responding to the letter.

“An appropriate reply will issue to the committee after due consideration of the issues raised,” it said.