Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have dealt with a quite a number of the questions raised. Deputy Wallace spoke about reciprocity and argued that this Bill does not represent reciprocity and is unbalanced. However, I have clarified that Northern Ireland boats will only fish here under the same terms and conditions as Irish boats. It is not the case that they will be able to fish under entirely different circumstances.

Deputy Clare Daly said that the Bill is dangerous and made reference to Dutch corporations. She also said that restrictions must also apply to our own fishermen. They will only come in under exactly the same terms and conditions as ours. The different models of ownership are referred to in the High and Supreme Court judgments dealing with this issue. The courts said that times have moved on from one man and his boat in the 1960s and that our laws and practices must reflect the fact that ownership structures have changed. As I said in Seanad Éireann, corner shops are now limited companies in many instances. In that context, it is only right and proper to expect that ownership models employed by the fishing industry would also change. Reference was made to mussel seed and to Dutch corporations. I do not believe the latter are active except insofar as there may be Dutch ownership interests in the Northern Ireland fleet, as there are in the register in the Republic of Ireland. Those engaged in the mussel sector must use the mussel seed on the island of Ireland. It is not that they can pillage the seed and take it elsewhere. They have to use it on the island of Ireland so it is creating jobs and supporting employment on this island.

Deputy Pringle asked why we are choosing to put the arrangements on a legislative footing now. In the context of Articles 2 and 3 and the 1960s, the arrangement was of its time and once those articles were changed, one could argue that it would have been appropriate to put it on a statutory footing. It was argued that we should not just accept the bona fides of the UK. Our bona fides were challenged and theirs could also be challenged. It was suggested that we should not accept their word, but surely their deeds speak for themselves. To this day, our fishermen still go north and fish in their six-mile zone. The House of Commons report asked how long the unbalanced approach could be expected to continue. We are just reinstating a previous arrangement and putting it back in place as it was.

Deputy Michael Collins comes from west Cork. The sound of doors slamming on our Northern Ireland counterparts would make another west Cork man and the Deputy's namesake spin in his grave. I have no doubt he would be spinning in his grave in response to that particular contribution. It was quite shocking in many respects, but so be it.

Deputy O'Dowd alluded to management, and while that is an important issue, it is not the main concern of this legislation. My Department, in consultation with all stakeholders, is always interested in progressing these issues. However, I point out to my Sinn Féin colleagues that this is made more difficult in the absence of a functioning Assembly in Northern Ireland. One must ask from whom the Executive takes instruction in terms of an all-island approach to managing a resource.

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