Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I thank all Members who contributed to this debate on the very important issues facing the fishing sector and who made positive contributions, including yourself, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

One of the very strong messages from the debate is that discards are a huge problem. The Minister of State, Deputy Killeen set down, in detail, the complex issues surrounding this issue, which is global. Yesterday, we had detailed discussions with the Commissioner. I am convinced he is committed to finding a solution and the Minister of State and I are committed to working with the industry, Commissioner Borg and other member states to press ahead with the agreed action plan adopted by the EU Fisheries Commission in June 2007.

Deputy Creed referred to the mismanagement of fish quotas. Quotas are managed with the involvement of the fishing industry. For white fish quotas, the Department meets the industry every month and the industry recommends a quota regime for the following month. Industry recommendations are implemented at least 95% of the time. The industry decides when quotas are caught and how much can be caught. These are the people who have the knowledge and experience to make these decisions. For small quotas, the industry must decide whether to allow a by-catch during the year or a directed fishery when markets are strong. This is not an easy choice but the industry must make decisions. This year, the industry decided on a relatively open fishery for the early part of the year and we are facing closures now. However, we must be advised by the industry. I want to continue with that regime.

The two initiatives on markets for research announced by the Minister of State are very important and have been welcomed by the industry. Both an Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Marine Institute have substantial budgets. In the Estimates, the agencies are given an over all grant and, like all State agencies, must decide priorities. These two initiatives are, clearly, priorities and we expect that any resources needed will be prioritised by the agencies. However, in both cases much of the work needed will not cost money. On marketing initiatives, the main issue is to get vessel owners, wholesalers, processors and retailers working together to co-ordinate and support their joint activities and maximise the returns for all.

The research partnership is exactly that. We need better science, and the involvement of fishermen will achieve this. One of the messages coming to us is that the huge resource of knowledge which is in the fishing community is not often reflected in scientific analysis. Working together is very important.

Deputy McHugh raised the issue of training crew for the merchant navy and the impact of decommissioning on crew members. He suggested that crew should be retrained to allow them to take jobs in the merchant navy. BIM is working with the marine survey office of the Department of Transport to ensure fishermen and skippers have the best possible opportunities to transfer into the merchant navy.

I believe Deputy Tom Sheahan, in his introductory remarks, took the Minister of State up wrongly. Deputy Killeen did not say that €42 million is inadequate for decommissioning. This provision will suffice to meet most of the current demand from eligible applicants for decommissioning. What the Minister of State said was that the total allocation to Ireland from the European fisheries fund for the period 2007 to 2013 is inadequate. This is a completely different point and one which needs to be clarified. We raised this issue with the Commissioner in strong terms yesterday.

Deputies referred to cod in the Celtic Sea. Earlier this year, the research institutes of France, Britain and Ireland made a scientific submission to the European Commission advising that the scientific state of the stock was sufficient to justify an increase in the catch. The consideration of the scientific submission did not reach the same conclusion and the issue has been the subject of ongoing bilateral discussions with the Commission. We raised this issue as a priority at yesterday's meeting and the Commissioner has undertaken to come back to us following consultation with his scientific experts and working with the data Britain, France and Ireland submitted to the Commission.

We are conscious of the serious difficulties facing the fishing sector. We know from Deputies, including members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party with whom we speak regularly, and from our meetings with the Federation of Irish Fishermen and individual members of the fishing community that the sector faces serious issues. I assure the House that the Government, through me, the Minister of State and our officials, is determined to work with the industry to overcome these difficulties. We want to build a sustainable industry which will continue to provide worthwhile employment.

Deputy Howlin and other Members put the issue of discards in colourful terms. There is something wrong when good food is being dumped instead of being put to good use by people. While this is a complicated issue, it is one we firmly placed on the agenda when we informed Commissioner Borg that we want radical improvements made in this area.

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