Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Mac Lochlainn covered two of the questions I wanted to ask. On the issue of Killybegs, the SFPA was initially involved with the terms of reference and the planning and design of the system, yet it is now saying it is not up to scratch and has refused to authorise it. Why is that?

Let me return to a point raised by Deputy Mac Lochlainn. Surely it is crazy that the fishing industry itself is being denied the details of the European Commission audit, especially when it has such a devastating impact on fisheries and livelihoods. Several fishing organisations whose representatives appeared before the committee have questioned the dual role of the SFPA in both fishery quality and control. Is the authority capable of carrying out the many roles outlined in the opening statement?

The Irish Fish Processing and Exporters Association has more or less said the authority has taken its eye off the quality aspect in terms of weighing catches pier-side. The PricewaterhouseCoopers report raised concerns about the organisational capacity of the authority, specifically regarding the need to reset the dial concerning the strategic plan of the organisation and its interaction with staff and stakeholders.