Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If we in Sinn Féin could be assured that those availing of this proposed legislation were Irish fishermen resident on the island of Ireland availing of an Irish natural resource we would support that, in line with our support for the Good Friday Agreement and North-South co-operation. My difficulty is that I see no evidence presented that can guarantee what I regard as loopholes under the voisinageexchange of letters. It should not be called an agreement because it has no legal status. In terms of the voisinageexchange of letters, if Sinn Féin could be reassured that the principle of those letters was for Irish fishermen resident in the island of Ireland to avail of an Irish natural resource in a sustainable and managed fashion, that would be fine. That is what the Supreme Court case was about. I understand that there are other pending court cases that have not been resolved which are connected to the Supreme Court case.Everything that I see tells me, despite the Minister's personal good intentions, that it is premature. I would not support Senator David Norris' amendment if I could be reassured about all of these matters, but I am not. That is why I think his amendment is probably the safest way to proceed in the absence of clarification.

The Minister knows that coastal communities believe Irish fishing waters have been given away to a large extent under European treaties and the Common Fisheries Policy. There is a real sense that we have not benefited from this immense resource as an island nation. The Supreme Court's decision which confirms that there is no legal basis whatsoever to voisinageoffers an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and make sure the natural resource within the zero to six mile limit is protected and used for the benefit of coastal communities.

This legislation is premature and rushed. It should be agreed to on an all-Ireland basis. We should seek reassurance about the residency of people who could avail of that opportunity, that is, licence holders based in Northern Ireland. All of these matters are currently absent, which is why I support the proposition that we go back to the drawing board. Perhaps the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on which I serve, with several of my fellow Senators, might look at this matter in more detail and make recommendations to the Minister. Unfortunately, the legislation as presented is not in line with the Good Friday Agreement because it is open to exploitation. Its loopholes could be exploited by foreign multinationals, as they have done in recent times, to the detriment of coastal communities. I appeal to the Minister, even at this late moment, to consider withdrawing the legislation. I am sure everybody in this Chamber agrees that the Minister should announce that he is withdrawing the legislation for further consideration by an Oireachtas committee or him, subject to consultation with all stakeholders, particularly fishermen around the coast who have not been involved in this process so far. I reluctantly have to support Senator David Norris's amendment and hope all colleagues can do the same in the absence of the legislation being withdrawn.