Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on the common fisheries policy; and the arrangements governing the Irish fisheries' need to be subject to a process of review and reform. [2449/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Common Fisheries Policy was reviewed in 2002 and this led to a new basic regulation that will govern EU fisheries policy until the early part of the next decade. It is not realistic, therefore, to expect a further reform process in the interim.

The 2002 reform embraced all the key areas such as access to resources, conservation, control and enforcement, structures and fleet policy. Ireland's approach to these issues was informed by an expert group consisting of representatives of the Irish fishing industry, which was chaired by Mr. Padraic White. With the benefit of this detailed input, Ireland participated actively in the reform process and the reform package finally agreed contains many of the recommendations of Ireland's national strategy review group.

The reformed Common Fisheries Policy reflects many of the concerns expressed by Ireland. These include a much stronger emphasis on stock conservation and in that regard we have since seen the introduction of recovery programmes for a number of cod stocks. Work is also under way on an action plan to address the problem of the discarding of juvenile fish catches. Other elements of the reform package include stronger control and enforcement provisions, continued recognition of Ireland's entitlements for additional quotas under the so-called "Hague Preferences" and new regional advisory councils, RACs, giving fishermen a strong voice in shaping future fisheries policy at EU level.

While it is invariably the case that any member state may wish to change a certain element of the CFP at a given time, such as a wish to get a greater share of the resource or, as Deputy Ryan pointed out, changing the methodology for catch limitations, it is necessary to deal with the overall situation in a holistic manner. The 2002 reform was successful from our viewpoint and we will participate in future reform processes in a similarly progressive fashion.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister of State agree that the Common Fisheries Policy has delivered a bad deal for Ireland historically and that potentially a valuable natural resource has been squandered or surrendered to Brussels? Despite the fact that we have nominal sovereignty over 11% of EU waters, with a catch quota system of 4%, we are being told that we are net beneficiaries of subsidies and so on from Europe. However, given the billions of euro worth of fish that have been caught in these waters by foreign vessels which has contributed significantly to the decline of the fish stocks in these waters, we are more of a contributor than a beneficiary in that regard.

Does the Minister of State agree that radical reform of the Common Fisheries Policy is urgently required and that part of such reform should involve reclaiming national jurisdiction over our fishing waters? In conjunction with what Deputy Eamon Ryan said, a nationally designed strategy should be implemented to ensure that our stocks are preserved and that, crucially, our fishing communities are beneficiaries in this respect. This would involve a radical shift from the current system where most of our processing is done abroad to a proactive approach towards a domestic processing sector. Will the Minister of State submit a proposal to the EU agenda to the effect that such radical reform be made a priority as a matter of urgency?

I welcome that the Minister of State said he is an advocate regarding the quota system. I concur with and would be supportive of his view that it should be determined not on the basis of fleet but on the basis of individual vessels.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Common Fisheries Policy was a bad deal. I was never happy with it and, as Minister of State, there is no point in my saying it was a good deal. I am not criticising those who negotiated it. Our party was involved. The then coalition was in Government on 1 January 1983. I am not criticising anybody for that because Members from all parties——

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Fianna Fáil negotiated it.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's party signed it.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Spread it out.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I emphasise that I am not being critical but the parties involved in the negotiations at that time did not foresee the subsequent developments that would take place in our fishing industry. At that time we had very much an inshore fleet. The industry, particularly the pelagic and demersal segments, has made substantial investment over the years in terms of the purchase of larger, more modern and safer boats with RSW tanks and they can carry ice or have the facility to make ice. With that facility the quality of the fish landed is much better and our fishermen can mix their produce with that of other countries. If we were to negotiate that deal again, I would like to think that our attitude would be different but it is much easier to be an historian than a forecaster.

On the point of the waters off our coast, we have the most prolific fishing grounds in the European Union but, unfortunately, we must share those with the other maritime nations in Europe. I would like to think we did not have to but we cannot dine À la carte in Europe. As Deputy Ferris suggested, we have 11% of EU waters and approximately a 5% share of the European quota, but that brings us into areas in which we would not normally be able to fish. In terms of our waters, I estimate that we have approximately 20% on average of quotas in the waters around our coast.

I am also an advocate of management. I want to see more fish landed in Ireland and more value added to them. I have no difficulty in addressing that. Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, has addressed it. It works closely with the industry whether it be producers or processors.

It would be simplistic for me to say that radical reform of the sector is on my EU agenda. I have raised that issue quite often in Europe and indicated clearly that countries such as Ireland — it being an island and the only country with two sea crossings into Europe — should have some advantages. However, if we are to gain from that or from any changes, it means that other countries will lose out as a result. Therefore, such a scenario can only be described as zero sum game.

I do not have any great difficulties with the views expressed by Deputy Ferris. At all times I try to ensure that we endeavour to maximise the quantity of fish landed. The Deputy was correct in saying that many of the boats to which we referred are Spanish boats landing produce, largely in the south west, to be put into containers which are brought back to Spain. That is of no benefit whatsoever to us. It is possible that the trucks being used are not Irish as well. I certainly feel that we should try to address that. We cannot force the other member states to do this, but they should do it if we are to make progress. I ask the Deputy to remember one thing — if more value is added to fish, that does not mean they will become more expensive. When fish are at their prime, they are fresh. They get them when there is an abundance. The more continuity of fish landings we have, the better the chance we will have.