Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, the Constitution provides for only 15 Ministers at the Cabinet table. To establish a new Department of the marine it would be necessary to abolish another Department. For the duration of this Government, the marine sector will continue to form part of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. There are obvious synergies in having agriculture, food and the marine together, for reasons I am sure the Deputy understands.

In regard to the mackerel issue, I am aware that there is ongoing competition between the fisheries in the south west and the fisheries in Donegal and Killybegs in terms of quota. As I said earlier, the review is ongoing. The Minister, Deputy Creed, has not yet made a decision on the matter but once he has made a decision the Deputy and the industry will be notified of it.

On the inshore issue, I will come back to the Deputy on that matter as I do not have up-to-date information on it today.

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