Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have here a copy of correspondence sent to Mr. Hayes on 5 May from the SFPA consultative committee, which exists under the same legislation as the SFPA. It has grave concerns about how this has been handled and the lack of consultation with it. It asks, if the ownership of the flow scales on the pier in Killybegs is transferred to systems not operated or owned by the industry, whether the SFPA can meet the requirements of the interim control plan. In all my talks and discussions with the industry, as is my responsibility as a Deputy for Donegal and Sinn Féin spokesperson on fisheries, it has been made clear to me that it does not want to have ownership of this weighing system. It wants a solution. I will put this to Mr. Hayes and Dr. O'Mahony. What industry in this country would allow round-the-clock CCTV monitoring of its workers and operation by a regulator? It is agreeing to and has accepted that level of oversight. This is not an industry that is resisting co-operation. It allows a level of oversight that is unprecedented in the European Union. It is saying to take possession of the weighing system and the pier since it does not need to be industry-owned. Will that finally address any concerns about oversight?

I have no tolerance for illegal fishing or for an unsustainable approach to our fisheries. It is a precious resource and I think the SFPA does an important job. I think it does it well and so does the European Union. I understand that the compliance level in Ireland is 98%. We are not a rogue state or the Wild West. We are compliant with regulations and the SFPA does its job well. Can we come to a point where we solve the issue in Killybegs and address the concerns of the European Commission in a sensible way? The SFPA has an incredible level of oversight in Killybegs, which the industry accepts and was needed to deal with the concerns about illegal practices that may have taken place in the past. In 2022, the SFPA's level of oversight in Killybegs is incredible. Why can it not take possession or find some way for those scales to go into independent possession to address everybody's concerns? Will the witnesses get to the crux of that issue?