Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his contribution. The CFP review will be very important. I have been adamant at every opportunity I have had in engaging with the Commission and other member states to make it absolutely clear that the issue of the disproportionate burden share on Ireland compared to other member states coming out of the Brexit agreement is something I want addressed. I will fight tooth and nail in every way that I can to try to make progress on that, as I have done so far. Indeed, I have made some progress on some measures so far and have worked closely with industry representatives to look at and identify opportunities to improve our position around that.

At the latest EU Council meeting, I voted against the proposals of the Commission. Ireland was the only member state to vote against it because I am deadly serious about representing Ireland's interest on this issue and trying to improve our position. I am doing that diplomatically in every way possible and in leveraging our national position on every issue that arises. Indeed, I am doing that, where appropriate, by voting against proposals as well, as I did at the latest EU Council meeting.

I have obviously engaged very closely with industry stakeholders too, including the sea fisheries task force, which I put together specifically to try to address the outcome of Brexit and to have fishers themselves come together and advise me, as Minister, and advise the Government on how we can make the most of the sector and of our natural resources in the years ahead. It has outlined many proposed measures that we can put in place. They are asking for support for the sector and some measures are already put in place, such as the temporary tie-up scheme. The task force has also given very significant advice on, in terms of how, as Minister, I approach the CFP review and on how we can all work together and how I can work with the sector to address that burden share. That task force has done immense work. It has been the fisher representatives themselves who have framed it, put it together and put those proposals forward. I am giving it my full consideration and I have implemented some of them. I certainly hope, with the support of my colleagues, to deliver as much as I can on the recommendations of the fisher representatives themselves through that task force.

It is important that all Oireachtas Members closely examine the work that the fisher representatives have done themselves. The Deputy said that he does not support the recommendations that the both the fishers and stakeholders themselves have put together. He should consider and reflect on that. It is really important that we pool the ideas, resources, thoughts and brains of everyone in the sector to best represent the sector in the time ahead. I certainly will lead at a European level and at national level in fighting every way I can to represent them. I will use the best ideas that we have and take the best advice that we can to achieve that. The work that the fisher representatives have done on that task force report at quite a seminal, although challenging, moment in the history of our fisheries is important. I certainly very much look forward to working off the report in the time ahead.