Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This will be applied in other countries also. It is not being applied to Ireland and not to other countries. There is a Council regulation that every country is required to implement. Had we not implemented this, there would have been consequences in that the Commission would have taken a case against Ireland. The Commission made very clear that it would do so. It will also take cases against other countries if they do not implement this regulation. This is happening everywhere. It is not only an Irish initiative.

Fishermen should view these two courses of action as entirely different. I believe there will be cases where penalty points are applicable and in respect of which no legal case will be taken. There will equally be cases in respect of which legal cases will be taken and no penalty points will be applicable. There will be some cases that may involve both but there will be two separate enforcement proceedings involved. I am told, with some authority, by the Attorney General's office that the two systems need to be treated separately from one another.

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