Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is about an eight-week period for the consultation. We will have to gather that and assess it and then step it out with regard to getting to a decision. Over the next number of months, we should get to that point.

The Deputy made the point that it is five years. This came in, and the former Minister, Deputy Michael Creed, did really good work on this. He introduced the 6 mile nautical ban for vessels over 18 m. Unfortunately, it was struck down through a legal challenge. That worked its way through the courts. The final decision from the courts came through a few months ago or so. We have then been considering how we step that out and take it forward again, and we have now commenced that process.

See this speech in context