Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions although many have been dealt with. Could I ask Mr. O'Donoghue about the science for the horse mackerel and what the problems are and how he sees those being resolved? Ireland is not looking for sanctions for any of the Norwegian stuff. What is view on that?

Can I ask Mr. Lynch about the quota balancing of the Brexit impacts and so on and the unutilised quota available in other member states? How much of the quota is unutilised and where is it? What are his views in general on Brexit and how badly treated we have been? It is telling that it was a French negotiator and the French industry came quite well out of it. He said we need to raise our ambition and that is true.

Somebody mentioned an excellent document. Is that the review of the CFP? What are the witnesses' views is on that document in terms of a negotiating position and whether if it was fulfilled, we could get a good outcome from it?

The Minister has stated that all the fishing groups looked for decommissioning and were happy with it and the witnesses have outlined their position on that but that is the position that the Government has taken in respect of what the fishing industry is saying and doing. If they go to Europe with that position it shows what value they place on the conversations the witnesses have with them and I am worried about that. Many of our problems start in Ireland and we have to get Ireland on board first of all before we can get the EU to look after our industry.

The Minister continuously says that because there is no excise duty on fuel for fishing vessels, he cannot introduce a fuel subsidy, which is a nonsensical argument and obviously is an indication that he does not want to give money other than to give tax breaks.

That is all he wants to do. The small inshore fleet does not use marine fuel anyway. It uses petrol and such for outboard engines. Surely it is within the remit of the Minister and his Department to come up with a scheme to subsidise fuel costs for the inshore fleet. What ideas do the witnesses have about how that could work?