John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I welcome Dr. Noel Cawley's excellent report — this mirrors Fine Gael policy — on the future opportunities for coastal communities. How confident is the Minister of State that we can encourage more vessels to land fishing catches here for processing in order that sustainable jobs might be created in coastal communities? Will he comment on the restrictions relating to blue whiting, which were recently a matter of some discussion in County Donegal? Despite the apparent surplus of blue whiting off the coast, it appears that there has been a dramatic reduction in the tonnage relating to these fish.

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