Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 15, subsection (8), line 27, after "the" to insert "seventh".

I appreciate the sentiments expressed by the Minister. I will not digress as we are focusing on the same issue, which is discretions. I am a firm believer in listening to the views of the person on the street in respect of every industry. If one was to ask 1,000 people living in coastal areas what was their main concern, the general response would be that we sold out our fishing industry in 1973. A second group of people would reply that if we did not take the route we took in 1973, the structural investments in this country would not have come about. The debate between these two schools of thought will continue.

Fishermen constantly tell other members of the public that Norwegian, Spanish and Danish boats fish in Irish waters. Last night, a man informed me that Czech boats can be found fishing in Irish waters, although I am not sure if this is true. What mechanisms are proposed at EU and national level to deal with foreign boats which are exceeding the quotas and working outside their territories and in zones where they have no right to be? I am aware that whistleblowing is a dangerous word to throw around, although it has been raised in respect of nursing homes. Could a whistleblowing mechanism, whereby people could inform on foreign boats committing indiscretions in Irish waters, be introduced to protect the Irish fishing industry?