Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all of the organisations. We had a session with the Minister before this one, for which I hope some of the witnesses tuned in. We told him the organisations should have come in first, with the Minister contributing afterwards. The best approach would be a debate around the table with everyone present. Sometimes that roots out the truth and cuts out the jargon.

I will address my questions first to the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. Perhaps the witnesses will note them, rather than having a back and forth, to give other members a chance. Why have we not applied for bluefin tuna quota since the 1990s? The Minister made it very clear that he is engaging with the fishing organisations. I had the impression from what he said that he is doing this often. Is that the case? I asked him why the French and others can give a fuel subsidy to their fishermen and he said he cannot do so. I cannot understand that. We are all under one European umbrella. Europe works when it comes to taking our quota from us and dividing it between other countries. However, when it comes to giving us a bit of a subsidy for Irish fishermen, we cannot do so. The Minister said the organisations have met him several times. Do they have any idea why that has not happened?

Can some movement be made on decommissioning? As far as I know, and I may not be right here, the criteria applied to boats decommissioning in other EU states differ from those applied to Irish fishermen. Is it true that in some countries, the fishing fleets that were paid aid to temporarily cease fishing activity will not have to pay back that money when they are decommissioning their boats, as is required of Irish fisherman? In the conditions attached to the Irish tie-up scheme, were Irish fishermen notified that this money would have to be returned if they later applied to, and were successful in accessing, the decommissioning scheme?

Do they agree that money paid to compensate fishermen for loss of earnings should be returned? In my view fishermen lost enough through the Government gifting 25% of the fish they are catching. The Minister repeatedly admits that the Irish fishing sector has lost 15% and he sticks to that figure. I have heard it is 25%. Who is right and who is wrong here? The Minister also continues to tell us, even though we tried to correct him, that the task force was unanimous in its agreement for a decommissioning scheme. Is that the case, and are we wrong?

I will refer to one or two other issues. Are MEPs engaging with the fishing organisations? Major negotiations will take place next week. They always seems to happen coming up to Christmas week; it is like lastminute.com. Sometimes, as with Brexit, frantic and bad decisions are made at the last minute. Are MEPs engaging with the organisations and building a foundation for what may be a good news story coming out of Europe in the next week or so? Why are the negotiations taking place at the last minute? Why were they not held earlier? Mr. O'Donoghue made the same point. If I need to go back over some of these points again, I will do so. I would appreciate if Mr. Murphy or others would answer my questions.