Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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While I understand that every sector of the economy is currently experiencing major difficulties, hardship for the fishermen of west Kerry is nothing new. They are resilient people. Long before the impact of the current global credit crisis, spiralling unemployment rate and economic recession, the fishermen of west Kerry were experiencing severe problems in nearly every aspect of their work. If we see a continuation of the current trend of increasing unemployment among these fishermen, we will see not only the end of a livelihood but the slow erosion of an ancient way of life.

Morale among the men from west Kerry who continue to engage in full-time fishing is now at an all-time low. From speaking to these fishermen as I carry out my work in the constituency, I appreciate the palpable sense of anger, dismay and disillusion. Their anger is understandable. Jobs in the fishing industry are being shed at an alarming rate. Just a few years ago, 15 boats were operating on a full-time basis out of the quaint fishing village of Baile na nGall. Now there are only two boats, and these operate on a part-time basis.

I must mention the division of the additional mackerel quota that was allocated recently by the Minister. Factories dependent on these fishermen have suffered due to a sharp decline in activity in the local primary sector. We have seen these factories cut their workforces considerably, adding more and more people to the live register in the local area social welfare office in Dingle. Incidentally, there was an increase of 89% in the number of people signing on in the Dingle office between January 2007 and January 2009. Many of these people were previously employed locally in the fishing industry.

In the case of Baile na nGall, many of the former fishermen who are now out of work were previously dependent on salmon fishing. These men lost their livelihoods because of policy changes, but due to an appalling lack of action from the State and its agencies no replacement jobs have been created in the area. The impact on the area has been massive. The ending of salmon fishing in Baile na nGall has affected nearly every household in the village and the surrounding townlands. Now, unemployment is the harsh reality for people who were previously involved in catching, processing, landing, selling and transporting the fish.

The people of Baile na nGall need to know what the State will do to help them recover from this enormous blow. They seem to have been forgotten and their anger is totally understandable and justified. One fisherman recently suggested to me that there was an opening for marketing bass angling on a year-round basis but feels there is no State support to show him where to take his idea. Another man suggested the need for cold storage units to take mackerel to markets but does not know where to start. There is a general sense of helplessness that needs to be addressed.

I must address the issue of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. Speaking recently to fishermen who operate out of Dingle, I found that a system of double standards was a major source of discontent. Dingle fishermen claim they are being made to feel like criminals as they try to make a living. They claim that our authorities are making their lives difficult by taking issue with the most trivial of matters. At the same time, there are claims that the crews of foreign registered fishing vessels are effectively operating as they please, with little or no inspection or scrutiny. One anecdotal report that was relayed to me suggests that on one day last summer, a Spanish boat unloaded more than 1,000 boxes of fish in Dingle, with no officers or inspectors present. Later the same day, an Irish boat that was landing two boxes of fish had major difficulties with an inspector who had travelled from Kilkenny and attempted to confiscate the catch. Apparently, the only fault of the Irish skipper was that he had omitted the letter "P" when including his licence number on his paperwork.

This type of bureaucracy is the reason the referendum on the Lisbon treaty was rejected by people in rural and coastal areas. We have been warned at meetings of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by representatives of one fishing organisation that its members will campaign strongly for a second rejection of the treaty because of this degree of red tape. This type of story is not uncommon. I have been told of foreign registered boats using illegal nets that cover miles of Irish waters, sweeping everything in their paths, with no regard for the law and no intervention from the authorities.

Investment in fishing is another issue of concern. Several miles to the north of Dingle, in Brandon, local fishermen have been calling for an extension to their pier for many years. The existing pier is no longer able to serve the needs of the community. These fishermen are getting the run-around from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Kerry County Council and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. At a public meeting on the issue recently, fishermen expressed their anger and disappointment at the disgraceful lack of progress in the past decade. Perhaps the Minister will investigate this matter and will arrange to meet representatives of the group. There seems to be a serious lack of co-ordination between the aforementioned three bodies on this issue. Ultimately, the fishermen of west Kerry need to know the State is on their side, not working against them. Conditions are difficult enough for these fishermen given quota limitations, spiralling overhead costs and the ever present danger of the sea. They need to know that the State recognises the importance and values the contribution of this indigenous industry. They must see tangible efforts to improve their way of life.

The issues I have outlined are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems affecting fishermen in west Kerry. Serious attention must be given to their concerns and to the concerns of the Irish fishing industry in general. There must be recognition that fishing, despite the major difficulties being faced by Irish fishermen, represents a lucrative potential source of employment for the people of this country. At present, I do not see that recognition from the Government. This must change if we are to see progress in the industry.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Ar dtús báire, tááthas orm deis a fháil labhairt ar chúrsaí iascaireachta in Iarthar Dhuibhneach. Mar a tharlaíonn, bhí píosa deas maicréil agam cúpla uair a' chloig ó shin sa bhialann i dTeach Laighean. Bhí sé blasta go maith. Dá bhrí sin, tá suim faoi leith agam i saol agus todhchaí na hiascaireachta. Ní hamháin sin, ach tá iascairí i mó dháilcheantar fhéin, mar atá i dháilcheantar an Teachta Sheahan. Bíonn mé ag éisteacht le ghlór Bhaile na nGall gach lá ar Raidió na Gaeltachta. Gan amhras, má tá daoine ag iarraidh buaileadh le hoifigigh ó mo Roinn, nó liomsa, ní gá dóibh ach litir a scríobh agus déanfar é sin. Is ábhar eile é sin. Ba mhaith liom tagairt ghinearálta a dhéanamh ar an cheist a d'ardaigh an Teachta Sheahan anocht.

The most critical issue for the fishing sector nationally and in west Kerry is the impact of progressively reducing quotas, which has been the pattern for several years. This reflects the reality, supported by scientific evidence, of the decline to dangerously low levels of many fish stocks of importance to Irish fishermen. The view of many fishermen that some stocks have recovered dramatically does not at present enjoy scientific support. The species that has attracted most headlines is cod, although other important stocks such as whiting, sole and herring are also in need of rebuilding.

It has been a consistent aim of this and previous Administrations to restore our fish stocks to high levels and to a healthy state in order to sustain our industry and coastal communities. It is generally accepted that effective management and conservation measures must be adopted at European Union and national levels to rebuild our fish stocks and ensure a viable and sustainable livelihood for fishermen. This year we faced a severe range of cuts across many of the commercial stocks on which our fleet relies. The Minister, Deputy Smith, and Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, only accepted cuts on stocks where the science was strong. In the final package, a balance was struck that will give fishermen whitefish opportunities to the value of €202 million for 2009, an increase from €194 million in 2008. In addition, the delivery of additional quotas for the main commercial stocks of importance to Ireland through the invocation of the Hague preferences on 11 fish stocks around Ireland was critical to provide good fishing opportunities for 2009.

The Hague preferences agreed by Heads of State in 1976 give Ireland additional quota in certain species and, as such, are fundamental to ensuring relative stability. The preferences came under sustained attack from several member states this year and their removal was identified as a substantial risk with serious consequences for Ireland given that they almost doubled our cod quota in the Celtic Sea and increased the quota in the Irish Sea by some 40%. I cannot emphasise enough the difficulty Ministers faced on several fronts in regard to the Hague preferences. However, I am pleased to say that they have been successful in their efforts to defend this issue of critical importance for Irish fishermen.

On the pelagic stocks, the total fishing opportunities available to Ireland equate to 137,000 tonnes in 2009. Of key importance is the 33% increase in mackerel quota secured for 2009 and the roll-over in the 40,500 tonnes of horse mackerel quota. With regard to the new provisions for the distribution of the 2009 mackerel quota, having examined in detail the cases made on behalf of the polyvalent fleet and the refrigerated sea water, RSW, fleet, respectively, the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, decided to introduce new arrangements for the share out of mackerel for 2009 and future years. Under the new arrangements, the polyvalent segment will be allocated 13% of the mackerel quota. For 2009, this will involve a total allocation of 8,562 tonnes for the polyvalent fleet rather than the 7,000 tonnes set allocation in place heretofore. This allocation for 2009 involves a 22.3% increase for the polyvalent segment.

The representatives of the polyvalent - or multi-purpose - vessels in the Irish fleet had sought an increased share of Ireland's mackerel quota for 2009, while the representatives of the RSW fleet, based in the north west, opposed any increase in the share for the polyvalent vessels. The background to this situation is that the allocation arrangements were last revised in 2001. Since then, the polyvalent vessels have had an allocation of 7,000 tonnes of mackerel from Ireland's quota. This represented 10% of the Irish quota when the arrangements were put in place in 2001. In all years except 2002 the Irish mackerel quota has fallen well below the 2001 level - as low as 46,000 in 2005 - and the allocation to the polyvalent vessels has remained at the set level of 7,000 tonnes. The reductions in the quota each year were borne in total by the RSW pelagic segment vessels. In 2009, the mackerel quota has been increased to 66,068 tonnes, which remains below the 2001 quota when the share out arrangement was last determined.

I will now deal with the new days at sea scheme as implemented from 1 February. While these provisions relate to the Irish Sea and the north west, the reality is that our fishing fleet is mobile and that vessels from the south west operate in both areas from time to time. The European Union Fisheries Councils in November and December 2008 adopted a new cod recovery plan. The regulations are applicable to the fishing fleets of all member states fishing with specified fishing gears in the relevant sea areas. Under the regulations, Ireland and other relevant member states are required to introduce and implement a licensing regime to manage their allocation of fishing effort in respect of days at sea limits in areas VIA, north west of Ireland, and VIIA, the Irish Sea, for vessels using specified gear types.

Following consultations with representatives of the fishing industry, my Department, as required, introduced a pilot system of authorisations and allocations of fishing effort for the period 1 February 2009 to 30 April 2009. I am well aware that the nature of these new conservation measures, which limit the level of effort fishermen can utilise, poses serious challenges for fishermen. As a result, the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, established a steering group involving the Federation of Irish Fishermen, FIF, the Irish Fishermen's Organisation, IFO, the Department and its agencies to provide support to the industry in regard to the practical implementation of these new measures. This group, which is currently meeting on a weekly basis, has already put forward amendments that have been accepted and implemented. It is important to reiterate that these measures were introduced on a pilot basis and that the steering group is working hard to develop new proposals within the EU legal framework established for the second management period, which will begin on 1 May.

I accept that for those within the fisheries sector, and indeed those looking in from the outside, it appears, with some justification, that we are stumbling from one crisis to another. Last year, we were hit with escalating fuel prices bringing into question the economic viability of the sector. While, thankfully, the fuel issue has at least abated for now, it did show up some of the imbalances in our fishing fleet which I am confident will have been alleviated by the impact of the whitefish decommissioning scheme. A total of 46 vessels have been approved under the scheme at a total cost of €36.6 million. In Kerry, four vessels were decommissioned at a cost of €2.6 million. Nationally, these vessels represent a total capacity decommissioned of 6,913 gross tonnes and 19,356 kilowatts which has been taken out of Ireland's catching fleet for good, leaving better opportunities for those fishermen remaining.

Of particular interest to the lobster fishermen of west Kerry is the progress on the proposed lobster management plan launched in April 2008 and subsequently sent out for public consultation and completed in July 2008. The results of that process have been analysed by Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, and a report has been prepared. This report has informed the debate and direction in which the process is developing. The driver behind these proposals is the need to protect fishermen in specified areas from the possibility of an influx of fishing vessels by limiting the amount of capacity that can fish lobster in a geographical area. If local fishermen choose to put their time, effort and money into conservation programmes in order to improve their fishery, they should be rewarded by having the security to do so in confidence. I understand that Minister of State, Deputy Tony Killeen, will shortly consider revised proposals in this area.

We are, undoubtedly, facing a challenging time in fisheries as elsewhere in the economy. The fishing sector is undergoing change, some of which is enforced by factors over which we do not have full control. As I mentioned earlier, the introduction of conservation measures is necessary to rebuild fish stocks and deliver a long-term future for coastal communities. However, the benefits of the initiatives I have just outlined will be felt in west Kerry as in other coastal communities and this upbeat assessment is based on a firmly held contention that with innovative thinking and a "can do" attitude we can collectively surmount all the challenges facing us and ultimately move the Irish seafood sector into a position of sustainability and strength for future generations.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply.