Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Respectfully, the Minister has had a month to act but he has had two years to assess or to plan or whatever he is saying the Department is doing now. I thank him for the reply but, in essence, it is the same kind of holding response I have got for two years at this stage. Will he just confirm that he will begin the process to establish the policy directive, and when will that be? What steps is he taking this time to ensure the Department does this correctly so we do not end up in the same position again?

I have previously raised the possibility of using existing instruments to curtail inshore trawling in the meantime. I highlighted the issue of a Bantry Bay by-law that prohibits trawling. That could be used at least to help to address the issue in one section of our coast. Even that would have an enormous benefit for stocks and other environmental issues. However, in reply to the parliamentary question on this that I tabled a few weeks ago, the Minister gave me a one-sentence response. He said:

I thank the Deputy for their question, and I wish to advise the Deputy that harbour bye-laws for Bantry Bay are a matter for the local port authority.

Respectfully, that is just not the answer of somebody who is taking this matter seriously.

See this speech in context