Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the students from St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, to the Public Gallery, who are here for a tour of the House. I thank the Minister of State for his response on the court cases that have taken place. Given that some of the issue is already in the public domain, it is appropriate to comment on it and address it in the House. As I outlined earlier, it is vitally important.

There have been several problems with the operation of the penalty points system since it has been implemented. Several times here and in the committee I have raised the issue of points that were issued to a Danish fishing vessel last year, and which the Danish authorities refused to allocate to the vessel when it was notified by the SFPA. This issue was raised in the committee in 2014. I asked whether the points system would come into effect in every coastal state at the same time and whether we were sure that a non-Irish vessel allocated penalty points here would receive them from the coastal state to which the vessel belonged.

Those issues have come home to roost now. They were addressed in committee at the time, when this system was being rolled out. I take on board what the Minister of State has said about this vitally important matter. When I spoke to the Minister earlier, he outlined to me that he will see what the judgment says and will amend the penalty points system, at the very least, if there is a requirement to do so. I think there will be such a requirement as it is automatic at this stage. I urge the Minister of State to make the point to the Minister that if this needs to be done, it must be the subject of proper consultation and it must be addressed by the Houses of the Oireachtas. Hearings need to be held by the committee when it is reconvened after the general election so that this matter can be scrutinised fully. These problems cannot be allowed to arise again. It is not fair and equitable for fishermen to have to take High Court cases to have their rights vindicated. This could have been got right in the first place. At this stage, it has to be got right second time around.

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