Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Department and I continue to work on the commitment set out in the programme for Government on the banning of pair trawling inside the 6-mile limit as a matter of priority.

In December 2018, following a public consultation process, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced that vessels over 18 metres would be excluded from trawling in inshore waters inside the six nautical mile zone and the baselines from 1 January 2020. I am committed to the sustainability of fishing in Irish waters and the exclusion of vessels over 18 metres from trawling in the waters inside six nautical miles is in line with the commitment made in the programme for Government.

As set out in the reply by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, to Parliamentary Question No. 181 of 8 December 2022, the decision to exclude vessels over 18 metres from trawling inside six nautical miles has been the subject of legal proceedings. The matter remains before the Court of Appeal and a final judgment is awaited.

While the Court of Appeal issued an unapproved judgment on 19 July 2022, which was substantially in the State’s favour, it requested further submissions from both parties. Accordingly, it should be noted for the avoidance of doubt that the unapproved judgment of 19 July 2022 does not constitute the final judgment of the Court of Appeal. The case is still before the courts. My Department and the other party have lodged submissions and the final judgment is awaited.

Prior to the issuing of the court’s ruling, I am not in a position to apply the original policy of December 2018. We will, of course, implement the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the required extent as soon as it issues. As this matter continues to be sub judice, we are not in a position to comment further until this matter can be resolved before the courts.

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