Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to be clear - I have the press release in my hands now. There is nothing in this press release to suggest that everyone who was present at the meeting last Thursday was in agreement that they supported the legislation. That is not what it says. I spoke to the Irish Fish Producers Organisation and the National Inshore Fisheries Forum this evening before I came to the debate. They have made their positions clear to me. The press release states that the Minister will seek to address their concerns and that he is proceeding with the legislation – it is the Minister's right to do that. The Minister said that during the course of the forthcoming debate he intended to speak to many of the key issues articulated by those in the industry, including concerns raised. They were simply agreeing that the Minister would address their concerns. That is all. They were not saying that they supported the legislation.

I know the Minister appreciates this point and agrees with me on it. The IFPO and NIFF are serious and important stakeholders. They are making the case to Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, the Green Party and Independents in opposition. They are making it clear that they have remaining concerns and do not support the legislation as it currently stands.

The Minister engaged in dialogue and rang people prior to the last debate. I appeal to the Minister to reflect on this tonight. I believe there is space for the Minister to engage in further dialogue. It is critical that he engages with the IFPO and NIFF to see if he can assure them that the amendments and letters and so on can address their concerns. That is all I am asking. I believe it is a reasonable request.

I call on the Minister tonight to reconsider the issue of the Kelly family. The Minister could meet a representative of the family to listen to their proposal. I have read through the detailed proposals they have made. They are highly knowledgeable and respected throughout the industry. Could the Minister meet a representative of the family who was not party to the legal case? Is that something to which the Minister could agree? In that way the Minister would not be meeting the plaintiff - he is insisting that is an issue legally - but he could meet a member of the family who could articulate the concerns over the legislation. There are no grounds for refusing that.