Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and acknowledge his presence in the Chamber.

The motion tabled by my colleague from Munster, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, has generated a very important debate. She has championed such debate on many occasions. She brought forward a Bill on microbeads. While the Bill was a positive one, unfortunately the action required to resolve the matter has not occurred. The Senator has been involved in the debate over recent years. She has promoted the sea, sea activities and the environment in which we live. The motion that she has brought forward is an example of her beliefs. It is important that this House should have such a debate. This House has a proud record of dealing with important issues, including environmental issues.

I am sure that the Minister of State, Deputy English, will answer all of the questions. I ask him to clarify when he proposes to bring legislation forward. If there is a process that we need to go through, we should hear that from him. If he clarifies the situation, he will go a long way to allaying the fears that nothing is happening at a Government level regarding this issue. We must consider many aspects, whether it is the Common Fisheries Policy and the effect, if any, this legislation would have on it. I hope the Minister of State will bring that information to the Chamber today. I ask him to inform us what effect this legislation, which we could bring in today, would have on the Common Fisheries Policy. The people who work in the fishing industry are deeply concerned about the direction of the project and what supports will be provided by the Government. It would be positive if the Minister of State clarified the matter. We need to thrash out the issues. Senator Grace O'Sullivan's proposal is very positive. However, we and the communities affected need to know what the knock-on effects will be. Traditionally, fishing communities have been located on the periphery of this country. Whether it is Tramore, Baltimore or Union Hall, these are rural communities and the inhabitants know the sea and their environment. They are like farmers who know their land and fisherman are the farmers of the sea.

The clarification about the likely effects is very important and will enable us to bring this legislation and information forward. I am being honest when I say that this legislation is an important piece of work but we must ensure that we bring everyone with us. I ask the Minister of State to clarify what effect the legislation will have on the fishing industry. I ask him to supply all of that information so we can have a debate. This debate is so important as it affords us an opportunity to thrash out those issues. After we get the clarification from the Minister of State, we can make the right decision. What we could do here tonight is rush through the legislation but that would have a knock-on effect on many issues. I seek clarity on the matter. When we get clarity, then we can make an informed decision.