Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

That is a good question on an important issue. Ireland is very anxious to make progress with electronic log books on boats such that when trawlers, be they French, Spanish, British or Irish, catch fish instant information will be obtained on the catch volume. The Naval Service, which is monitoring catch, would have access to the information instantaneously. Manual log books can be doctored before an inspection of boats. We need real-time information on boats so we will know when they are in Irish waters, what is being caught, who is catching the fish and where they are being landed. There has been frustration within the Irish fishing sector over the fact that we are not progressing the electronic log book concept more speedily. I will be raising this with the Commissioner tomorrow.

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