Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

Since we are back on the point, let me make it explicit that I absolutely reject any implication that the Department, in licensing boats, takes account of anything other than the interests of the country and the sector, including the farmers.

Let me move on to some of the other issues raised. A question was asked by Deputy Deering about the number of countries over quota and how that fed into the decision not to do anything about the soft landing. My colleague, Ms Cannon, who has done a quick tot, says there are 12 countries over quota. It would be some number like that. Offhand, I cannot remember the size of the blocking minority that prevented the measures being taken. It was definitely a minority of the 28 member states. The great majority of the 28, even those which did not have a direct interest, were willing to go along with it. The ones which blocked it did so, frankly, because of political sensitivities in their own member states. These were countries that would have significant farmer groups or others who are against quota abolition and where they felt there would be political repercussions if their Ministers agreed to what was seen as a measure to ease the abolition. That was the issue.