David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking to amendment No. 4 in my name. Returning to Article 8, section 2 of the London Fisheries Convention, Northern Ireland and UK boats cannot claim a right to fish inside the nought to six nautical mile zone under Articles 3 and 4. These articles simply do not provide for anyone to claim such rights. They deal only with rights in the six to 12-mile belt. Therefore, if the Bill becomes law, the rights given to the UK as a contracted party automatically extend to all other contracted parties. This means that the French, Spanish, Dutch, Belgians and all the others to which I referred could possibly, at least, have access to our waters.

Despite the reservations I have outlined, I welcome the fact that the Minister has moved, to some degree, in a positive direction with these amendments. For example, Government amendment No. 3 is very close in feeling to my amendment No. 4. I hope that the arguments I made the last time we discussed the Bill, several months ago, had some impact.

I appreciate that amendment No. 7 introduces a level playing field. Previously, there was a situation whereby Irish boats above 18 feet in length were banned from fishing whereas Northern Irish boats of the same length were not. That was wrong and unfair. The Minister has now addressed this satisfactorily.

I will leave it at that but I have the right to come back briefly. I look forward with great interest to the Minister's explanation and justification. I am open to persuasion.