John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Two months ago the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and I met in Dublin the industry liaison group, which is representative of all the fisheries organisations, processors and exporters. The suggestion came from them that we would create a totally independent group to look at the fishing industry in terms of quota reductions, the number of fishermen, the need for research and development and the need to introduce modern technology, innovation and added value, and, more importantly, to draw up a vision for the future of the fishing sector that will carry us over the next five or six years.

As a result, we drew up terms of reference and sent that to all the fisheries organisations and, indeed, to the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and those on the Opposition Front Bench. We received a number of recommended additions to the terms of reference which we have included — we have included practically all the fisheries organisations' additional recommendations to the terms of reference.

We also asked a number of eminent people to become actively involved under the chairmanship of Mr. Noel Cawley. Indeed, Mr. Cawley was very acceptable to the fishery sector as well as to the Department. Mr. Cawley and his group held a meeting yesterday morning with the industry liaison group. They have agreed to meet regularly over the coming months or as requested and agreed by Mr. Cawley and his group. I hope that this group will make recommendations by the end of September, although it may need a little extra time. The first meeting will take place in Wexford over the next week or two, and then across the country there will be meetings with full, open and frank discussion.

It is important to take on board that this is an independent look at the industry. Mr. Cawley has been very involved in drawing up strategies in the food sector in the past and we must acknowledge that the fishing industry is an important food sector. I hope that by the end of the year we will have a strong vision for the future of the fishing industry and that we can move forward together. As I stated in Killybegs, it is a matter not of the Department versus the fishermen, the fisheries organisations, the exporters and the processors, but of all of us moving forward together. Mr. Cawley's group will also look at the Department's role and we also may have some questions to answer. It is a totally independent review and we should leave it at that. The fisheries organisations are quite happy that some of the concerns they had over the past couple of weeks on the independence of the group and on their input have been ironed out. We should move forward together. Let us get on with the vision and develop a fishing industry strategy for the future.

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