Mr. Michael Desmond:

We explained to him that Article 17 is in existence and is there for a reason. It is there to help inshore vessels but it looks like certain coastal states, and Ireland in particular, ignore it. Ireland just ignores it. It is supposed to support the inshore sector by ensuring a fair share of quota stocks for inshore vessels. As the committee knows, we have 400 tonnes of mackerel out of 40,000 tonnes. When the quota was 70,000 tonnes, the entire inshore fleet, which is now close to 95% of the fleet, still only got 400 tonnes. When we put it to him, he agreed that something has to be done about it, but what? Is it a Common Fisheries Policy review? As with the Department, a lame tortoise would get things done faster. It is just crazy that it is going on and on. The article is there and already exists. Micheál Martin was able to bring in penalty points in this Dáil overnight, and he said that if he did not do it, the EU would penalise him. At the same time this Government, and every previous Government, have refused to share quotas fairly but there is no backlash from Europe about it. The EU does nothing whatsoever about it. It just goes on and on and nothing is ever done. We are where we are with it.