Results 3,481-3,500 of 9,147 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The difficulty is that due to our failure to confront the British Government, its statement on withdrawing from the London Fisheries Convention means, in practice, that it is claiming the fishing rights of Lough Foyle. We must have urgent clarification from the Minister that the Irish Government will defend the rights of fishermen living on the Inishowen Peninsula to continue their...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The outstanding issues for finding a resolution in the North include an Irish language Act. We should remember there is a Welsh language Act and a Scottish language Act in place. Along with the bill of rights, these are issues outstanding from the Good Friday Agreement that we all speak of but which has not been implemented fully. There is also the matter of lesbian, gay, bisexual and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Dr. Steele and her colleagues for attending. The fishing community is aggrieved because its members believe they have been criminalised under legislation. There have been stand-offs at various ports between fishing communities and SFPA officials. Perhaps the problem is with the legislators, given that the authority is simply enforcing the legislation. I refer to super trawlers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does Mr. O'Mahony have an opinion on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I asked whether Mr. O'Mahony himself has an opinion on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: May I ask a supplementary question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My apologies to Mr. O'Mahony for interrupting him during his presentation. Mr. Kinneen has answered my question. I welcome his advice to the committee in regard to his concerns. It is very helpful because the view has been that we do not have the capacity in this State to give a cast-iron guarantee that there is full monitoring of vessels. The FV Margirisoperates under a Lithuanian flag.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It was mentioned that a vessel is ultimately the responsibility of the flag state. I note from a previous discussion that the Naval Service boarded the FV Margirisin November 2016. I am focusing on this vessel only because it is the second largest vessel in the world and it gives rise to great concern when it is off our coast. It was said earlier that, under European regulations, SFPA...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Thank you for your patience, Chairman. I appreciate it. I will be very brief. Could I propose that the SFPA would make a submission to our committee outlining ways or ideas it has for strengthening its ability, including the need for additional resources? We can then put that submission to the Minister. Is that a reasonable request?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am asking the SFPA as practitioners.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Could I propose then that the SFPA would do as suggested? Could I also propose that the committee would write to the Minister asking him from a policy perspective to address the issues that we have raised here today? Most if not all of us have raised concerns about super trawlers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In terms of the specific issues here, could I ask that the committee will write to the Minister asking for assurances? In fairness to the SFPA, the witnesses have said they are limited to a policy perspective.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Perhaps the Minister and his departmental officials could reassure us in that regard. Is that fair enough?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report of Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority: Discussion (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I appreciate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am happy to give way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the witnesses for attending in order to deal with this Bill. Some of them witnessed our hearings with a range of fish producer organisations last week. Those organisations are united in their opposition to the Bill. I was struck by how none of them had been consulted about it. I found that extraordinary. Against overwhelming odds, the witnesses were collectively forced to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It was related to Brexit and the London Fisheries Convention.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Mr. Kelly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am very concerned about this issue. As I said in the Seanad, I suspect that there was a degree of vindictiveness in the drafting of this legislation. I suggest we raise with the Department the issue of the allocation of seed in the Foyle which has been brought to our attention today. We should ask the Department if there will be an allocation of mussel seed to the relevant parties. Does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does the committee agree on this issue? It is a serious matter. I would not like somebody to be punished for being vindicated in court.