Phil Prendergast (Labour)

I welcome the opportunity to discuss matters relating to the fishing industry and thank the Leader for providing that opportunity. For too long our fishing industry has been sidelined in order to benefit other sectors of the economy. Fishermen have paid a high price and it is to their credit that we have a fishing industry. The Government has shown no vision or interest in this sector and that must change.

I am pleased our party leader, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, a former Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, has shown imagination in this area. He is the only party leader to have committed a full-time, Front Bench spokesperson to this area. By doing so, the Labour Party is making a statement of intent. It is the objective of the party to support in every way the development of our sea fisheries and aquaculture industry. It is our strongly held belief that there is great potential for growth in this area.

Ireland could easily be described as one big coastal community because nobody lives more than two hours from the sea. It is part of the Irish psyche. We are all familiar with the sea-fishing industry and know how vital it is to the areas where it provides a critical source of year-round employment at sea and on shore.

It is known and widely accepted that the industry has been facing many challenges due to the decline of many commercial fish stocks. It is a sector in which a new restructuring and development strategy is required, as the Labour Party recognises and as the industry would agree. The Cawley report states: "The stark reality is that decisive and radical action is now called for at national and EU level to safeguard the seafood industry, the fish stocks and the future of coastal communities."

The Labour Party welcomed the findings of the Cawley report. It believes it sets out a vision for a sustainable, profitable and self-reliant industry that will maximise its long-term contribution to coastal communities based on fish stocks restored to sustainable levels in the context of a healthy and diverse marine environment. The Labour Party believes the Cawley report is the road map. However, the party is less enamoured of the Government's commitment to the industry. So far, there has been a failure on its part to follow through on the findings of the report, one of many reports on which it has failed to follow through.

The Cawley report, which is the Government's so-called blueprint for the future of the fishing industry, advocated a Government buy-out of 40% of the existing fleet through a decommissioning scheme. The report called for funding of €66 million for this scheme. In last year's budget, the Government allocated just €21 million therefor. This is a measly allocation and exemplifies the Government's lack of commitment to the industry.

Boats less than 18 ft. in length have been excluded from the decommissioning scheme, despite the fact that they are often older and in poorer condition than the larger ones. Surely some scheme should be established for these boats and others that are similarly disadvantaged.

The Irish seafood industry generates annual revenue of over €700 million and provides direct employment for nearly 12,000 people. It is the backbone of Ireland's rural and coastal communities. The Government gives itself a pat on the back and believes it is doing great things for the industry by allocating it a paltry €21 million and devoting to it only six sentences in a Budget Statement. This is not good enough because the industry is on its knees.

What is required is a co-ordinated approach to dealing with the industry. We need a cohesive approach, both within the industry and between the industry and the State, if we are to address effectively the industry's deep-seated problems and its undoubted potential.

While I welcome the merging of responsibility for seafood with responsibility for the rest of the food industry, there remains a total lack of joined-up thinking and responsibility at Government level. At present, responsibility for marine matters seems to fall between the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the one hand and the Department of Communications, Energy, and Natural Resources on the other, with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Transport, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism also involved at some level. There was an astonishing exchange in the Dáil last year in which the then Tánaiste, Deputy Brian Cowen, in the absence of the then Taoiseach, was asked which Minister was responsible for certain fisheries legislation. He did not know until some helpful colleague told him it was the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan. If a senior member of the Government does not know who is responsible, it does not say much for our chances.

I urge that we follow the lead of the European Union in this matter. Last year, it launched an integrated maritime policy that links up all the various areas of the marine industry — for example, fishing, tourism, shipping, seafood, marine research and transport. It should be noted that the ocean economy currently contributes €3 billion per annum to Ireland's GNP when one takes account of income from fishing, aquaculture, food processing, shipping, tourism, IT and financial and other services. Nevertheless, it is a relatively underdeveloped sector of the Irish economy. Danish productivity is four times higher and that of the Netherlands, which has a significantly smaller coastline than ours, is five times higher. Ireland is simply not at the races in this regard. The fragmented and disorganised manner in which this Government deals with the marine industry must be changed.

The cost of fuel is an important issue for fishermen. Oil prices have been falling and the difficulties have been alleviated somewhat as a consequence, but it is by no means a fact that prices will remain at their present level. Some claim the price of oil may eventually reach €400 per barrel; I shudder to think of the consequences. The Government must be more proactive on this matter and must show some leadership thereon at EU level.

There is a total lack of traceability in the fishing industry. The Government is making little or no effort to implement a traceability policy. Irish people who go to a supermarket or restaurant to buy fish are more likely to receive fish imported from outside the European Union than fish caught by Irish fishermen in Irish waters.

Much good work has been carried out in recent years on food traceability, particularly regarding meat and meat products, which we acknowledge, but the fishing industry has been ignored. The Irish would buy Irish fish every time if only they were allowed to make an informed choice. We must implement a fish traceability policy urgently so Irish people will know what they are eating.

There are many structural problems in the fishing industry and there appears to be no political commitment from the Government. It is the forgotten industry. There is potential for growth but the industry needs concrete support from Government. Lip service will not suffice. The Government's failure to implement fully the Cawley report's recommendations is a symptom of the disregard for the industry and the thousands of people who rely thereon.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, for listening. He has engaged with some of my comments and I hope we can have a meaningful debate on the issues that arise.