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.