Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)

Tá an-áthas orm gur toghadh mé go daonlathach mar Leas-Chathaoirleach ar an gcoiste fíorthábhachtach seo. Seo an dara huair a tháinig an coiste le chéile. Tháinig sé le céile den chéad uair an tseachtain seo caite. Mar a dúirt mé ag an am sin, beidh mé ag tabhairt lántacaíocht don Chathaoirleach mar bhall den choiste agus mar Leas-Chathaoirleach. Beidh mé ar fáil chun gach cuidiú a thabhairt don Chathaoirleach ar an gcoiste seo. Seo coiste fíorthábhachtach do thionscal na hiascaireachta agus do thionscal na mara. Luaigh an Cathaoirleach an clár oibre an lá cheana. Is dócha go mbeidh sampla den chlár oibre seo le feiceáil inniu.

Gabhaim buíochas leo siúd a d'ainmnigh mé agus a vótáil ar mo shon. Ba chóir dóibh siúd nach raibh ábalta vótáil ar mo shon a bheith cinnte go dtabharfaidh mé cothrom na Féinne go gach uile dhuine agus gach ball den choiste am ar bith a mbeas mé sa Chathaoir mar Leas-Chathaoirleach.

I thank those on the committee who proposed me and voted for me. I say to all members of the committee - including those who did not vote for me - that they can be certain that when I am in the Chair, representing the Chairman, I will rule without fear or favour. All will be respected by me.

As I outlined on the previous day the committee met, I have been in the marine sector my whole life. I was a processor for many years before being elected to the Dáil. Since then, first, I was a Minister of State with responsibility for the marine in 1987, and subsequent to that I was in various Departments with delegated responsibilities. There is a lot of talk about delegated responsibilities at the moment. I advocate that Ministers of State should have delegated responsibilities. I had them in the early noughties and found it extremely helpful.

The industry must have an opportunity to have a Minister who is hands-on, who will deal with them on a regular basis and visit the various ports around the country, whether it be the major harbour ports or the other smaller ports. I hope we will have an opportunity to invite in all of the organisations. The topical point at the moment is the agreement between the EU and the UK. I had to read it three times before I realised we are agreeing a deal that will go into the 2030s. I will express my views on that at a later stage, but it is certainly not what I would have advocated. I thank everybody. I will be available to all.