Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I do. I wish to finish this piece on the EU-UK agreement. It was critically important for Ireland as we suffered disproportionately on quota transfers in the TCA and we were determined not to lose one more fish. There are people in the sector who would have liked to have had a reversal of the quota, but that was not possible. The agreement reached sees an extension of 12 years of the status quo to June 2038. This is significantly longer than the four years sought by the UK, and most importantly, does not involve the transfer of additional quota. From our perspective, we came out with the best deal possible, notwithstanding not being able to win back any quota. It gives certainty to the fishing sector and to the fleet for a period of time now with how they might manage investment.

I will discuss later in my concluding remarks about issues that arise. I will use every effort with the support of the Department in trying to fight for and attain any possible quota that might ultimately emerge either through changes in the CFP or any evidence or science-based information that can be provided in relation to the migration of stocks into our waters. We did not have a track record where there is still an allowable catch but where we do not have quota. Fish have now migrated as a result of the changing sea conditions due to climate change. Those are the kinds of things we can progress. I know there are people who would like to row back on decisions that were taken in the eighties. Unfortunately, I would be misleading this House if I gave the impression that I could do that. I will work with the sector and like-minded member states where we have alliances and where we are building more alliances to try to gain additional quotas, even in species where we may not have had historic fisheries. I thank the Chair for her forbearance.