Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will go back Mr. Gleeson. When Dr. Beamish says "legally independent", there was a statement made this morning to the newspaper that a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said the Commission decision was an operational matter for the SFPA and that the Minister is precluded from getting involved in these matters. The SFPA has, in effect, cost us €40 million and it is nothing to do with the Minister. That is for Mr. Gleeson.