Brendan Kenneally (Fianna Fail)

This is an area of the Bill on which I have a difference of opinion with the Minister in terms of what we are doing, as many of the sanctions being laid down, particularly in respect of some of the smaller operators, are far too severe for silly minor offences. Such offences can happen even with the best will in the world. I will not rehash my comments on Second Stage when I gave a number of examples.

The matter relates to the administrative sanctions, which we must introduce at some stage. There is no hindrance to doing so, as it has already been done in the fishing industry regarding inland fisheries. We must move in that direction. I am not speaking about the large operators, rather the smaller ones in the context of minor offences. I had hoped we could have moved in that direction on Committee Stage or Report Stage. The Minister was reluctant to do so and I accept that he would have been required to return to the other House. I also accept his previous commitment that once this Bill is enacted, he will sit down with the various fisheries organisations and, between them, come up with some realistic level of sanctions with which we could all be happy.

I gave a number of examples, such as how an angler is treated compared with a salmon driftnet fisherman. For the same offence, the sanctions are completely different, which is an issue we must address. This is my major bugbear with the legislation and I ask the Minister to address it. I thank him for the commitment given to meet with sea-fisheries organisations after the Bill is enacted to find a solution acceptable to everyone.