Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister's reply. There are headline issues that the Common Fisheries Policy will discuss. I agree entirely with the Minister's stance on individual transferable quotas. While it makes sense for countries such as France and Spain it would make no sense for this country and would have a severely negative impact on the Irish fishing industry.

Similarly, on the issue of discards it is important that we move with the Commissioner in her position on discards which are immoral. It is a crime. The methodology behind her proposals over-simplify the issue and they need further discussion, particularly with the industry. I hope the Department will work with the industry here to deal with what is a complex issue, more complex than it would appear. It is simple to say it is immoral but it is a difficult issue to deal with and to find a good solution.

Other issues arise as well such as enforcement. The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, has been working hard and compliance within the fishing industry has greatly improved, which has led to improved prices. That should be acknowledged.

I listened to the Commissioner when she spoke at the Institute of European Affairs. I was concerned that she held up the Danish pelagic industry as a model. The Minister might take note of that. In Denmark 12 or 13 companies control the pelagic industry. That is not something we would wish to emulate. The Commissioner held it up as the way forward. Perhaps the Minister would examine the matter and raise it in his discussions with her and persuade her towards an Irish solution that would maintain the integrity of our industry.

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