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

When we go into private session, we will look at the work plan we will have over the next few years. This committee deals with the maritime section. There was a presentation from the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, and his team yesterday on marine planning, marine regulation and the whole area of fisheries. We have great opportunities in terms of the waters around us. We have never got the full value from that resource. We have the richest fishing waters in Europe. They are certainly up there in the world, too.

If we look at what Norway has taken from the waters around it and how the Norwegians have used that, we see that we lack vision. We have lacked ambition for far too long.

There is a space for offshore renewable energy. There has to be a much bigger space for fisheries. There needs to be co-creation. Everybody needs to be at the table as an equal partner protecting the resource for everybody. I hope this committee can steer a pathway for that.

There also needs to be a partnership between the inshore fishermen, the island fishermen and the offshore fishermen, all of whom are on the same team. It is about getting the maximum amount of fish for Ireland and then a fair distribution within the country.

I congratulate the Chairperson. Deputy McGuinness comes from a fishing family and has the passion to do the job. He will be an excellent Chairperson and I look forward to working with him.

There may be rows on the floor of the Dáil and Seanad but committees are where people work together on a cross-party basis to get things done. I am excited to work with everybody on this committee to pursue all of the objectives we agree together. Well done, Chair, and good luck.