Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tógfaidh mé é sin san áireamh nuair atá mé ag caint. Ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil mé, cosúil le mo chomhghleacaithe go léir i mo pháirtí, ina measc na Teachtaí Ó Cuív agus Murphy O'Mahony, ag tabhairt lántacaíochta don Bhille seo. Molaim go mór iad siúd a chur an reachtaíocht seo le chéile. Fáiltím roimh ionadaithe na n-oileáin éagsúla atá anseo sa Ghailearaí. Chím daoine anseo ó Oileán Thoraí, ó Árainn Mhór agus ó na hoileáin eile amuigh ón gcósta atá tar éis turais fhada a dhéanamh ó na hoileáin go dtí an tír mór agus ón tír mór go dtí Baile Átha Cliath. Ní féidir na turais sin a dhéanamh in aon lá amháin. Léiríonn a láithreacht anseo tráthnóna cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an díospóireacht seo. Ní inniu ná inné a thosaigh siad ag teacht anseo. Tá siad ag teacht anseo thar na blianta fada ag iarraidh brú a chur orainn cuidiú leo agus le cás na n-iascairí ar na hoileáin bheaga.

Ar ndóigh, téann sé seo ar fad ar ais go dtí an cinneadh dul isteach sa Chomhphobal Eorpach, an tAontas Eorpach, mar atá sé anois, sa bhliain 1973. Ina dhiaidh sin, cuireadh an Comhbheartas Iascaigh i bhfeidhm sa bhliain 1983.

When Ireland became a member of the European Union in 1973, there was no doubt but that it benefited greatly. This can be seen from our major infrastructure. Membership gave us free access to 500 million people with whom we could trade our goods and services.

I repeat what I have said on numerous occasions in the Dáil and European Parliament, namely, that the fishing industry paid too great a price for membership of the Union. At the time in question, those who negotiated our membership were of the view that the quotas that would become available in 1983 would be sufficient to allow the industry to develop. Of course, we have discovered, regrettably, that this has not been the case. The key that was agreed at that time, when we got some 4.8% in total of the quotas in Europe, and some 21% on a larger scale, or, if it was boarfish, some 90% on a larger scale. It was not sufficient to allow the industry to develop.

Let me return to the subject of the islands. As I said in Irish, I fully support the Bill, as does my party. I fully support the measures contained in it. The Bill, as drafted, may not be perfect. Those in Sinn Féin who drafted it would be the first to admit that. In all my years here, dating back to 1981, I have never seen a Bill that was not amended at all following Second Stage. Even the Government amends its own Bills. It will have an opportunity to amend this one. We may have an opportunity to do so. We want an opportunity to consider this Bill on Committee Stage. The Government should not oppose it. I will go into detail as we go along.

It is blatant, given the support this Bill is receiving from the various parties and individuals concerned, that it will go through. There will be an opportunity when the vote is taken on Thursday of next week to have a rethink. Not only is the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, present but the Minister of State with responsibility for the islands, Deputy Joe McHugh, is also here. While this is a marine Bill, it is, as the latter Minister of State would say, fite fúite with the islands. In that context, there has to be joined-up thinking.

The Bill would provide young people and those who are not so young with an opportunity to secure a livelihood for themselves and their families and the islands off our coast. I am very familiar with many of the islands, having represented the Donegal islands during all my years here in the Dáil and the islands off the coasts of Galway and Mayo during my time in the European Parliament. On those islands, there is no alternative source of employment. There is an opportunity for fishing and tourism, particularly as they are linked to heritage. This is a heritage Bill. We want to give the islanders an opportunity to make a living on their doorstep. We should remember that we have the most prolific fishing grounds in all of Europe. The islanders are not in a position to avail of the opportunities presented by those prolific fishing grounds.

The Bill recognises the traditional rights of island fishing communities, and it follows on from the recommendation of the joint committee, to which reference has been made. We have to be positive about this and give credit to the former Chairman of the committee and current Minister of State, Deputy Doyle. Time does not permit me to go into detail on the recommendations of the committee. Others have referred to them.

I remind the Government that we are not taking this step without precedent. In 2011, when I was a Member of the European Parliament reviewing the Common Fisheries Policy, I played a lead role on behalf of the party of which I was a member, namely, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, ALDE, and secured and agreement, not just in ALDE and in the European Parliament but also at the trilogue. We discussed the matter within the Council, the Parliament and the Commission. I remind the House that the President of the Council at the time was none other than the present Tánaiste, who was then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. He was very supportive of me at that time.

It is said that if we agree to this Bill, we will be running into difficulty with Europe. Europe has agreed that "Small offshore islands which are dependent on fishing should, where appropriate, be especially recognised and supported in order to enable them to survive and prosper". Those were my words but they were adopted by the European Parliament and the trilogue. They are written into the Common Fisheries Policy. Therefore, to suggest that we might not be compliant with European guidelines makes no sense. The joint committee said something similar.

Let us have the opportunity to amend the Bill, as necessary. It may be said that it is not compliant with European legislation. If it is not, let us make the necessary amendments that make it compliant. We will work together. If the Minister of State wants to establish a small working group to table amendments, all of us will be very happy to participate. The Minister of State says the Bill may not be in conformity with EU legislation. He should make it conform. That is what we are here for.

On the residency issue, it is suggested in the Bill that one has to be the holder of the licence and that one has to be on board the boat. It is easy to amend the provision in this regard. What happens if someone takes ill on the day and there are two or three others on the boat? These are little amendments we can deal with. I do not believe they should be regarded as obstacles to proceeding with the Bill.

We will give the Government the tools necessary to amend this Bill. How can we do so? We can do so by giving the Bill an overwhelming vote of confidence on Thursday of next week, irrespective of whether the Government supports it. I would like to believe the Government will support it. If it does not, every Member of this House, whether a member of a party or group or an Independent, will support it.

I am delighted because, while I have chaired the proceedings on very many Private Members' Bills, I have never seen as many Members taking an interest as today. One should remember it is Thursday evening. This is a fair indication of the commitment of all the parties and individuals concerned. The full time allowed will be used.

Impím ar an Rialtas agus ar na Airí Stáit atá i láthair leis an gceist seo a fhreagairt thar ceann Roinn na mara agus Roinn na Gaeltachta agus na n-oileán smaoineamh a dhéanamh ar an mBille seo agus cinneadh a ghlacadh gan vótáil ina choinne. Tá an reachtaíocht seo an-tábhachtach do mhuintir na n-oileán agus dóibh siúd atá anseo sa Ghailearaí, atá ag déanamh an-ionadaíocht thar ceann na hoileánaigh.

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