Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

Passing a law in this House does not criminalise anybody. It is only when one breaks the law that one becomes a criminal. I do not accept Deputy Ferris's contention that merely by passing a law we are making criminals of people. If that were the case, we would all be criminals — murderers, robbers and rapists — because we have passed laws on all those matters. I do not accept that, just because we try to pass a law that will enable us to prosecute wrongdoers — if they exist and are caught — we are criminalising the fishing industry, including fishermen and fishing communities. It is an argument that seems to have swayed some people but it is not one that stands up to scrutiny. Neither are we marginalising people simply by passing a law that attempts to address a minority within an industry who are prepared to be totally unscrupulous. I re-emphasise that point.

Deputy Jim O'Keeffe called for a level playing field, although he did not define what that is. As far as sea fisheries offences are concerned, all vessels are treated similarly.

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