Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope to engage with the committee shortly to provide an update on the Bill. The Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017, to which the Deputy referred, seeks to create a specific system for licensing island fishers to conduct small-scale coastal fishing activities and would provide regulatory powers for this purpose.

There have been a number of significant developments since 2017. My colleague the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, published Our Living Islands, our important national islands policy, in June, for example. Its aim is to ensure sustainable, vibrant communities on our islands. A whole-of-government policy has been developed following an extensive consultation process with the island communities in respect of a specific action plan for 2023 to 2026.

On fisheries, I established the seafood task force, as the Deputy will be aware, to analyse in depth the impact of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, TCA. A number of proposals emerged from that task force, which published its report in 2021, recommending 16 initiatives.

To date, I have announced 12 schemes, with a budget in excess of €270 million. In addition, since the inception of the Bill, I have given official recognition to two new producer organisations for inshore fishers, the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation and the National Inshore Fishermen’s Association. This significantly improves the standing and advocacy of small-scale fishers in sea fisheries consultative processes, including the quota management advisory committee, which makes recommendations to me on the management of national fish quotas.

In respect of the Bill, I have sought significant legal advice on its legality and the possibility of its being implemented and taken forward. I will consider that in detail and revert to the committee soon with an update in that regard.

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