Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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The four producer organisations present today collectively wrote to the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, when SI 318 was introduced by the Taoiseach who was Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine on an interim basis between Ministers. As far as I am concerned, the four core points about this proposed legislation still stand. The normal threshold for conviction for most citizens is beyond a reasonable doubt and there is an onus on the accuser to prove the matter. In this case, it is done on the balance of probabilities. The submission from the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation refers to the way that the UK, when it was a member of the European Union, applied it in a similar common law system. I know some members of the organisations represented today have taken court cases and have been successful in the Supreme Court a number of times. I want to get that perspective. That is the first question for all the producer organisations.

The Bill only covers Irish and EU-flagged vessels. It does not cover UK, Norwegian or Faeroese vessels. A particular concern would be that it does not cover UK vessels. It is comparable to having two drivers on the same road and one can be prosecuted for speeding but the other one cannot be. I ask the witnesses to comment on that.

My third question is for the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association, IFPEA. Its representatives have made a very detailed submission to the committee today and will be aware that we have just had an intensive engagement with the SFPA. The EU audit of 2018 was conducted from 2012 to 2015. Apparently, this audit has been leaked to at least three national media outlets. Its implications are very damning to the reputation of our entire fishing industry and fish producers, and yet representatives of the IFPEA have not had a chance to see that report or the report of the SFPA administrative inquiry. I invite the representatives of the IFPEA to outline the reality of the oversight. I have touched on some of it today in the engagement with the SFPA. The IFPEA submission outlines the level of oversight. It states:

Ireland's seafood landings are the most regulated in Europe. Our industry has embraced those controls. We are committed to sustainably managed fisheries and will continue to play our part in protecting our fisheries as long as controls are proportionate, reasonable and pragmatic.

One would not know that Ireland's seafood landings are the most regulated in Europe based on what was leaked to national media. I invite the representatives of the IFPEA to offer a defence of the industry and to outline their vision for the way forward at what needs to be done in the immediate term to address the serious impact of the revocation of the EU control plan.