Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The points the Deputy makes in respect of the economic impact are extremely important. In that context, I wish to outline the position with regard to where we find ourselves.

Ireland was prepared to concede significant shares to both Iceland and the Faroe Islands in the interests of stability and sustainability. However, we do not consider that there is any justification for the EU to have conceded as it has done. The share for Faroes is, unfortunately, now fixed. Ireland will be working hard to ensure lessons will be learned and that, in negotiations to come, EU member states will work more effectively together in order to better protect the Union's share of this vital resource.

In the context of the internal allocation of quota to the fleet, as a result of the coastal states agreement the adjusted national quota for 2014 is 104,967 tonnes. At the December Council, a provisional quota of 65,000 tonnes was set and this was allocated at the beginning of the year. There has been a recent request for a review of the redistribution of mackerel quota allocations between the polyvalent and refrigerated sea water, RSW, pelagic segments of the fleet based on the increase in the quota in 2014. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has given full consideration to this request and is not of the view that there were changed circumstances which would support a review of the allocations between the segments. It is considered that the percentage-based allocation between the segments can properly deal with year on year fluctuations in national quota in a fair, transparent and balanced way.

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