Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State might add that vessels under 14 m would be exempt. Some vessels have no days at sea, as the Minister of State noted in his reply, because of history. With regard to job creation in rural and coastal areas, it is a well known fact that any job created at sea creates seven other jobs on land.

With regard to the scientific evidence on which this draconian measure, the cod recovery plan, was based, I do not believe there is any such evidence. Will the Minister of State provide funding for the steering group to undertake in-depth, real-time scientific surveys of stock assessment with immediate effect? We would then have real data and scientific evidence. What is happening at present is that vessels are moving to area VIIa.

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