Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the six-mile review, there is an eight-week consultation period. I hope to have the document finalised and the policy published by the final quarter of this year. By the autumn of this year, I want this process concluded and what has been raised in consultation fully considered and brought into play. The former Minister, Deputy Creed, did really good work on this. It was struck down by the courts on a minor technicality. It took a long time to go through the courts and now we have to go through the process. Things have changed in terms of evidence. We have had to do assessments over the past few months in order to do the consultation, and that is now under way.

On the inshore strategy, there is ongoing discussion at BIM. It is leading out on putting this together. There are meetings today involving the inshore sector. BIM has other meetings planned. I want to see the work expedited pretty promptly.

On Deputy Pringle’s comment on recognition for the producer organisations, we now have two inshore organisations: the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation, to which I granted approval and which is now in a position to receive funding if it meets the criteria, and the National Inshore Fishermen’s Association, which is receiving funding. We are working with the organisations to ensure the funding can be drawn down. It is really important that we have those-----

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