Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Gallagher for his interest in this matter. It is something he has been in regular contact with me about both in advance of the scientific advice being released and since then. I know, in particular, of his interest in the Killybegs area and the significant shock this will bring to the community of Killybegs, not just to those directly involved in the processing and catching sectors but also to all of the ancillary businesses that make up the ecosystem around the sector.

In the first instance, I have raised this matter with the European Commissioner to examine what framework could be put in place to address the significant cut. I had a preliminary conversation with the Taoiseach, and with the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, to put them on notice of the scientific advice and the impact that will have on the sector. There are medium-term and long-term situations that have to be addressed. I have begun that conversation with other member states and with the Commission about how we address the significant level of overfishing that has taken place as a result of the unilateral allocation of quota by third countries, particularly those in the coastal states outside the Union, principally Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. With colleagues across the Government and across member states, we will have to look to other tools outside of what would be in the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, or within the preserve of Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, DG MARE, to see how we can ensure Norway shows a much greater level of respect for the necessity to conserve stocks in line with the total allowable catch that is identified by ICES. This continued unilateral allocation of quota that is not based on scientific evidence is damaging, in an existential way, the future of our fishing sector.

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