Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators who spoke for their contributions to the debate on this important legislation. Irish sea fishing boats still enjoy access to the coastal waters of Northern Ireland under the voisinage arrangements. However, in light of a Supreme Court judgment, fishing by Northern Ireland vessels in the territorial waters of this State is not currently permitted by law. There is an urgent need to address this matter in order to provide for reciprocity. This is one of the critical driving forces behind the Bill because, as matters stand, boats from the Republic of Ireland can fish in Northern Irish waters, while boats from Northern Ireland cannot fish in our waters. This is one of the reasons for the urgency in addressing this matter.

The Bill proposes to address the findings of the Supreme Court by providing a legal framework for the voisinagearrangements. This would restore the arrangements which have provided reciprocal fishing access for fishermen in both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland for more than 50 years. Together with the associated measures to which I referred, the Bill will re-establish the status quofor fishing access that existed under the arrangements in place before the Supreme Court judgment of 27 October 2016. It will also restore an important area of North-South co-operation.

I will address a number of the issues Senators raised. Brexit was a common thread running through all the contributions. If I have seen the map Senator Mac Lochlainn presented to the House once, I have seen it a thousand times. Every picture speaks a thousand words and the map is the most graphic manifestation of the challenge Brexit presents. One could ask what the connection is between Brexit and this debate. The critical connection is that we catch 38% by volume of our entire fishing endeavour in the red zone which marks United Kingdom territorial waters. In terms of value, however, particularly in the context of pelagic fisheries based in County Donegal, the figure is much higher than 38%. In excess of 40% of scallops, for example, which are the second most valuable fishing resource we have, are caught by Irish vessels in UK territorial waters.

A hard Brexit involving the UK pulling up the drawbridge and taking all its territorial waters would deal a severe blow to the Irish fishing industry. This is, therefore, a strategic matter. Legislation can be revisited after it has passed. It would be strategically foolish, however, to gratuitously offend by not providing for the reciprocity associated with the voisinage arrangements, while, on the other hand, trying to negotiate the best possible outcome for our fishing industry in the context of Brexit. I have met various parties at this stage to discuss Brexit. For example, we had highly informative sectoral dialogue with the industry and I have engaged in consultations with producer organisations, both individually and collectively, as has the Taoiseach. I have met representatives of the fishing industry in all its manifestations, including processors. Only this week, I met the Scottish Minister with responsibility for fisheries, which was an interesting engagement. It struck me that the Scottish National Party would in some respects like to remain in the European Union, albeit outside of the Common Fisheries Policy, which is an interesting position.