Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Yes. This question is on the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP. As people will know, along with the Common Agricultural Policy review, there is also a CFP review. It is important that both get the priority they require. Those negotiations are occurring in parallel with the overall EU budget negotiations. Next month, the Commission will publish the first draft proposals on the so-called EU budgetary framework. We will then have an idea as to the proposed allocation of funds for agriculture and the CFP. I suspect it will not be good news. As such, there will need to be a great deal of subsequent political lobbying to try to change the figures.

Ireland is likely to hold the Presidency of the EU when the CFP and CAP reviews are to conclude and an acceptable compromise across the EU is to be delivered in the first half of 2013. I have made it my business to try to get to know some of the key personalities with whom Ireland needs to build understanding and alliances, for example, my counterparts in France and Spain. I have met both Ministers as well as Maria Damanaki, the Commissioner with responsibility for this area.

Ireland has specific concerns about how the Commission looks like it will approach the CFP. The most dangerous change in policy for Ireland is the Commission's consideration of a single transferable quota. Under this, instead of giving a country a quota and allowing the relevant Department to allocate it responsibly with the industry to keep everyone in business, boats would be able to transfer quota between them. My fear is that the buying power of big Spanish, French and possibly British and Dutch fishing companies would allow them to buy out Irish quota through companies they would set up in Ireland, as quota transferability will be restricted to domestic transfers.

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