Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I emphasise that I am not being critical but the parties involved in the negotiations at that time did not foresee the subsequent developments that would take place in our fishing industry. At that time we had very much an inshore fleet. The industry, particularly the pelagic and demersal segments, has made substantial investment over the years in terms of the purchase of larger, more modern and safer boats with RSW tanks and they can carry ice or have the facility to make ice. With that facility the quality of the fish landed is much better and our fishermen can mix their produce with that of other countries. If we were to negotiate that deal again, I would like to think that our attitude would be different but it is much easier to be an historian than a forecaster.

On the point of the waters off our coast, we have the most prolific fishing grounds in the European Union but, unfortunately, we must share those with the other maritime nations in Europe. I would like to think we did not have to but we cannot dine À la carte in Europe. As Deputy Ferris suggested, we have 11% of EU waters and approximately a 5% share of the European quota, but that brings us into areas in which we would not normally be able to fish. In terms of our waters, I estimate that we have approximately 20% on average of quotas in the waters around our coast.

I am also an advocate of management. I want to see more fish landed in Ireland and more value added to them. I have no difficulty in addressing that. Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, has addressed it. It works closely with the industry whether it be producers or processors.

It would be simplistic for me to say that radical reform of the sector is on my EU agenda. I have raised that issue quite often in Europe and indicated clearly that countries such as Ireland — it being an island and the only country with two sea crossings into Europe — should have some advantages. However, if we are to gain from that or from any changes, it means that other countries will lose out as a result. Therefore, such a scenario can only be described as zero sum game.

I do not have any great difficulties with the views expressed by Deputy Ferris. At all times I try to ensure that we endeavour to maximise the quantity of fish landed. The Deputy was correct in saying that many of the boats to which we referred are Spanish boats landing produce, largely in the south west, to be put into containers which are brought back to Spain. That is of no benefit whatsoever to us. It is possible that the trucks being used are not Irish as well. I certainly feel that we should try to address that. We cannot force the other member states to do this, but they should do it if we are to make progress. I ask the Deputy to remember one thing — if more value is added to fish, that does not mean they will become more expensive. When fish are at their prime, they are fresh. They get them when there is an abundance. The more continuity of fish landings we have, the better the chance we will have.

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