Results 1-15 of 15 for sfpa speaker:Verona Murphy

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Sep 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...to fish in our waters because we have no powers to deal with them. That is not proportionate. If the authority in the country of origin does not take action or is not a zealous as our own authority, the SFPA, or as it should be, we will have a two-tier system of regulation. That cannot be tolerated. We must be able to penalise any vessels fishing in our waters. I want to put a...

Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Sep 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...metres away in a factory setting, all as a consequence of the European Commission interfering unnecessarily in our fishing affairs, based on information given by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA. The third area that we need to see more movement on is the wind farm construction base at Rosslare Port. No disrespect to the Minister, but there has been much talk today of MARA,...

Fisheries and Coastal Communities: Statements (17 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, is one of a number of quangos responsible for the operation and regulation of our fishing industry. Based on what I have seen and heard in recent weeks, it may possibly be the most inaccurately named quango ever formed in this State. From its name, one would think that its main aim was to protect the fishing industry, but if one was to describe...

Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...of Agriculture, Food and the Marine at all. The Minister deflects to the EU, and if that does not suit, then he deflects to the regulatory authority, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA. This cannot be the ongoing situation. In late April, I highlighted the lack of joined-up thinking when it comes to issuing licences for marine activities. Two separate licences for two...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: With due respect to the Minister, it is the competent authority but this is something that relates to Ireland. This report did not go back to the SFPA, it came back to the Irish Government. Is it fair to say that it is actually up to the Minister to fund the SFPA and to put the control mechanism in place? The SFPA is already in receipt of millions of euros. In the past two years it has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: No. I ask the Minister to go back for a minute. Is the Minister saying that the SFPA is in charge of enforcement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: To whom is the SFPA answerable?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: On that basis, was the report issued from Europe to the SFPA?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: However, it is not carrying out infringement proceedings against the SFPA, is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Sea-Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (13 May 2021)

Verona Murphy: ..., as the Minister has said several times. We have an enforcement agency that is not answerable to him; it is answerable to a committee. What mechanism can the Minister put in place to ensure that the SFPA does not land us in this scenario again? Apart from anything else, there is very little evidence to support what the EU has said, except that that evidence is based on what has been...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (20 Apr 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...days. The other question I want to touch on is one Deputy Carthy raised about today's report from the Commission. There are two points about this. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, spent €1.47 million on legal fees in 2019. It spent €731,000 in 2018 on internal audits. In Oireachtas grants, it got €13 million from the Department in 2019 and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (20 Apr 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...", there was a statement made this morning to the newspaper that a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said the Commission decision was an operational matter for the SFPA and that the Minister is precluded from getting involved in these matters. The SFPA has, in effect, cost us €40 million and it is nothing to do with the Minister. That is for Mr....

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (20 Apr 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...which undermines the ability to ensure an effective control system." That was then, but it must be remembered, no matter who it is, that obligation is on Ireland. Today, we have the chair of the SFPA, Susan Steele, quoted in a newspaper as saying that the "accurate weighing of catches remains the responsibility of [the] industry." Can someone just tell us who is in charge? Mr Gleeson...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (20 Apr 2021)

Verona Murphy: They are not questions. I am really just asking for a "Yes" or "No". Does Mr. Gleeson believe the SFPA is functional?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (20 Apr 2021)

Verona Murphy: ...the Committee of the Public Accounts and we are here to make sure that there is value for money for the public coffers. When Mr. Gleeson says the Department has invested significant money in the SFPA, I appreciate that is what he thinks. However, from the public purse perspective, what we expect is a result. It seems that the only result we have got here is that we have exposed...