Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge the sensitive and compassionate way the Minister dealt with the tragedy off Glandore. He showed an interest in the situation. I was present a few evenings as well. I hope the other two bodies will be found so that some closure can be brought to the matter for the community. I acknowledge the tremendous voluntary efforts of the community.

I will ask a number of questions, as I do not want to make a long statement on fisheries. The Minister might indicate whether he or his Department intends to revisit the 2006 fisheries Act with a view towards introducing administrative sanctions. The issue was a millstone around my neck while I was a Deputy. In the last Dáil, some Fine Gael Deputies gave a commitment to revisit the Act and to replace the criminal sanctions with administrative sanctions, if possible. Will the Minister assure me that, where administrative sanctions are concerned, the cure will not be worse than the disease? Some of them might not be exactly what the fishermen want. The Minister need not answer today, but the matter has been on my mind.

The then Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, revoked the wild salmon fishing licences by statutory instrument. Some fishermen were compensated. In some quarters, commitments were also given - I do not know how sincere they were - to the effect that, after five or six years, the situation would be revisited. It is good news to see that salmon stocks have greatly recovered. Is there some way to grant wild salmon licences in a regulated fashion? If the science is against it, I will understand, but the commitment was that everything would be rosy in the garden were there a change of Government.

In the House, I wished the Minister well in his pre-Christmas negotiations on total allowable catches and so forth. I have said this privately as well. I congratulate the Minister on his achievements as it is an ongoing see-saw battle each year for whatever Minister is in office. Historically, we all wear the green jersey when we go to Europe, including Members from the Opposition in the previous Dáil and Seanad, and even the fishing organisations praised the Minister for his efforts.

One of the great success stories has been the recovery of herring in the Celtic Sea. Five or six years ago there was little interest from many boat owners because of a depletion in herring stocks and there was not much money to be made. We must credit organisations and fishermen for allowing the recovery, which was industry-driven, as the Minister would acknowledge.

I am concerned about a number of areas. The Celtic Sea herring issue might be like the miracle of the loaves and fishes, so will the Minister give priority to the boats with a track regard in the area, especially in 2008, 2009 and 2010? In so far as is possible, will the Minister provide regulations in order that the boats fishing the Celtic Sea herring land those fish in the Republic of Ireland? The Minister will be aware that a few years ago we had 16 processing plants but we now have four: two in west Cork, one in Dingle and one in Rossaveal. What is important is continued supply when we talk about jobs through fishing. I know from an interest in fishing that some vessels land frequently in places like Castletownbere, Dingle, Rossaveal or Baltimore, and there is a continuity of supply. For the 12 or 14 weeks involved, there is also a continuity of employment, which is very important. I would like the Minister to be mindful of that when he comes to his decision. It is critical to support the jobs on the shore.

Will the Minister ensure that some of the larger ocean-going vessels in the fishing fleets are not allowed to come in to rape the Celtic Sea? I should be careful using that word. It took several years to build up stocks and there is no guarantee that in three or four years there will not be a return to the 4,000 or 5,000 tonne limit. We should carefully monitor Celtic Sea herring and ensure that those who stuck with that stock and depended on it for many years are not excluded to the benefit of the super-trawlers. I know the Minister has a difficult job trying to keep everyone happy but he should be mindful of the reference years, like those in farming. The reference years for the Celtic Sea should be 2008 to 2010, and the boys fishing out of Dunmore East and Wexford should see fair play.

I have a particular interest in the mariculture and aquaculture industry, and the Leader has said there may be a debate on this before Easter. I have criticised previous Ministers on my own side over the past ten or 15 years - I have been in these Houses for many years - because a proposal was put forward in the early 1990s for mariculture and aquaculture to reach certain targets. That would have create many jobs onshore and produced value-added products such as mussels, farmed salmon or oysters. Unfortunately, for different reasons we seem to be standing still, having peaked in the mid-1990s. I am not sure what can be done but the Minister might offer a brief comment - not necessarily today - on the area and how jobs can be created.

One of the big challenges facing this Government is the creation of jobs and there is a potential along our shore. Nevertheless, there is a notion of waiting six or seven years for an aquaculture licence. It is something the Minister has inherited and I blame previous Governments. This issue should be dealt with more efficiently and we could create 200 or 300 jobs in west Cork, Kerry, the west in general, Waterford or Wexford. The potential exists but something is clogging the process and we are not moving forward. We have not reaped the rewards in the way places like Scotland, France, Norway, Chile and others have. We seem to be standing still rather than making progress.