Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. As Minister of State with responsibility for marine in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, I am pleased to announce that I have secured a significant budget of almost €158 million to support the fisheries sector for 2026. This funding will continue to provide support across capital infrastructure projects in our fishery harbour centres and the seafood development programme as well as supporting the excellent work being carried out by our marine agencies towards the economic and environmental sustainability of the seafood sector.

Last week’s International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, recommendations on 2026 fish stocks, particularly those of importance to Ireland, will pose a significant challenge to the Irish fishing sector. The ICES issues annual scientific advice used by the EU to set fishing quotas. We must consider the socioeconomic implications of these recommendations. The total estimated value of the Irish refrigerated seawater vessel sector this year at first point of sale is €100 million. Mackerel is Ireland’s most valuable catch, worth €94 million in exports last year to premium European and Asian markets. Across the whole of the fishing sector, there is the potential for over 800 jobs to be impacted by these cuts. I will be working with Government colleagues to try to develop a response to meet the needs and expectations of our coastal communities and ensure their long-term viability.

We need to see stronger EU action against non-EU states that continue flagrant overfishing of shared stocks, which has created this crisis in fish stocks. In the past five years alone, more than 1 million tonnes above the scientifically advised mackerel quota has been caught. I want to see market access conditional on compliance with sustainability rules. The Department and Government will work with the industry to find a pathway through to longer term viability and sustainability of our coastal communities.

As Minister of State with responsibility for the marine affairs division in the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, l am delighted to announce that funding has been secured to deliver the national designated maritime area plan, DMAP, for offshore renewable energy. The development of a national DMAP for ORE is a priority for the Department over the next two years. It is a priority because as we capture more electricity to decarbonise our economy and move away from fossil fuels, we need to develop a pipeline of projects to ensure we continue to attract the large amount of foreign direct investment and attract the large companies to remain here in that period. Decarbonisation is important not only for a better environment but also to develop cleaner and cheaper methods of heating our homes and living our lives. The Government is committed to doing that.

Funding will also supplement and support the existing service level agreement with the Marine Institute that is providing essential data and other advisory services on the national DMAP for ORE project. Support is also being provided for the delivery of marine protected areas and the wider implementation of the marine strategy framework directive and to support the delivery of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, which will enable it to deliver on its remit as a regulator for the maritime area.

Budget 2026 includes significant investment in offshore renewable energy data mapping. Resources are also provided for Inland Fisheries Ireland to protect, manage and conserve Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources. We have seen the very significant impact of a fish kill in the Blackwater recently. We are looking at empowering IFI further to be able to bring a whole-of-sector approach to address those kinds of crises which we hope will not be something in the future. We need to look legislatively at addressing pollution in our rivers. We need to look at those sites that are regulated through the EPA and others. I have asked IFI to carry out a piece of work to understand if the sanctions that are in place for breaches of emissions into the river basins are adequate to act as a deterrent. I am conscious that that work needs to be done. In the coming days, I will be directing IFI to work with all the other agencies involved in water monitoring to put in place an appropriate protocol to deal with an emergency situation such as we have seen. No time must be lost in attempting to trace the source of the effluents that get into our watercourses.

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