Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

To modernise the implementation and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy, in line with developments in other member states and the European Commission, the Bill proposes to legally separate responsibility for enforcement of fisheries policy from the policy-making functions of the Minister. This initiative will vest statutory responsibility and accountability in statutory officers within the Department. However, this is only an interim step. It is my intention to bring forward proposals early in the new year to establish a new independent executive as a regulatory body vested with the statutory responsibility for the control and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy. It is also my intention that such an agency will be set up on an administrative basis, independent of the Department, early in the new year, pending the introduction of the necessary legislation. In addition, other responsibilities may be vested in such an agency in due course. I am also giving serious consideration to including the licensing authority in this agency. I want to remove both of these functions from the Department and make them independent. Issues of perception may be involved. I will defend those who are responsible in the licensing agency and those who advise me at present as being totally independent. However, if their functions must be removed from the Department, it is not just sufficient to do this — we must be seen to do it.

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