Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The next best thing is to get foreign boats landing into Ireland rather than steaming back to Vigo or La Rochelle or wherever they want to go in order that we can process and add value to their fish here. Irish seafood exports amounted to €496 million in 2013. This follows a strong period of growth of almost 65% in the value of exports in the period 2009 to 2012. What we are starting to do in seafood is what we have been doing in dairy for the past 20 years, which is to add more value to it in Ireland rather than just exporting round fish, either chilled or frozen, to be processed somewhere else. That is an ongoing journey. We will use all the resources and advice available to us to make a strong case, as we have done for the past three years, and will try to get the best outcome possible.