Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Beamish for his presentation. Basically, the requirement we have here relates to the compensation of fishermen who would be negatively affected due to Brexit if they are frozen out of a large section of water where they traditionally fish and catch a large portion of their catch. In that regard, is the Department getting any indication from the negotiations in regard to the overall situation for the Common Fisheries Policy and what arrangement will be in place? Clearly, regardless of what happens, Britain is going to leave the Common Fisheries Policy. There will still have to be some arrangement in place between the EU and Britain in respect of access to water and access to stocks in different places. I am wondering about the amount of quota that will be taken away from the British fishermen and where that quota will go. If Britain leaves the EU, the portion of the quota it currently has will be coming back into the system. What will happen to that or is there any clarity in that regard yet?

I am also interested in the tariff rates that will be in place. Is there any indication as to what deal can be done in that regard?

The other issue is the compensation for fishermen who would lose in this respect. If Irish fishermen will lose out and the vessels are tied up for a period because they cannot fish, will one of the consequences of it be that there will be extra competition within what will be the diminished or smaller EU waters as a result of Brexit? What new arrangements are possible to revert to the Common Fisheries Policy and see what new negotiations can take place there? For example, last November the total allowable catch was established for this year. However, before the end of this year, we could be in a situation where Brexit has thrown all that up in the air. Will there be a new negotiation to work it all out again or what is the proposal in that respect?