Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Before we get under way, I welcome those in the scout group to the Gallery. They are very welcome. They do not have to tie any knots for the rest of the week as encouragement for having come in.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the opportunity to be in the Seanad again to discuss fisheries and marine matters. I welcome the timely opportunity to discuss this important issue and the concerns affecting the fisheries and seafood sector. I know many of the Senators here have a very keen interest in and intimate knowledge of the industry and those who operate in it.

I reassure the House that as Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries and the marine, I recognise the importance of maintaining a vibrant fishing sector both for the communities that rely on them and indeed the wider economy. I also recognise that these same coastal communities are feeling dismay and despair at the reduced levels of quota available to them for 2026 following the EU operating on the basis of headline ICES, International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, advice and particularly the resultant quotas for pelagic stock. This was in addition to Ireland's invocation of the Hague preferences, which are a key element of our relative stability, being blocked by a group of larger member states.

The conclusions reached in Brussels in December are a culmination of bilateral and trilateral negotiations by the EU with third countries, where were then followed by the internal EU matters of the Baltic, western Mediterranean and the EU main total allowable catch and quota regulation, which covers stocks in the Atlantic, North Sea and adjacent waters and includes the fish stocks of relevance to Ireland. Most of the stocks covered by this regulation are shared with third countries, predominantly the UK and Norway. There are only two stocks of which Ireland has quota which are an autonomous Union stocks, sole and plaice, in ICES areas 7bc off Ireland's west coast. The total allowable catch for these stocks had been set at 15 tonnes annually for 2024, 2025 and 2026 in line with the scientific advice I mentioned earlier, and therefore were not under consideration in this proposal.

It is clear that the outcomes of this year's December AGRIFISH Council will result in severely reduced fishing opportunities for 2026. The scientific advice upon which the Council's decisions were based reflects the impact of overfishing, particularly of the mackerel stock by certain third countries. The advised 70% reduction in the total allowable catch for mackerel is compounded by a 41% reduction in blue whiting and a 22% reduction in boarfish along with further reductions in nephrops. Therefore, Ireland's fishing opportunities for 2026 amount to approximately 120,000 tonnes with an estimated first sale value of €205 million across the main pelagic, demersal and nephrops stock for 2026.

As a result, while the overall scale of fishing opportunity remains substantial, the distribution of quota across key stocks presents ongoing challenges for fleet planning, processing throughput and coastal communities that are highly dependent on the specific fisheries. It is important that we do not focus our ire on the scientific advice here. The advice is merely reflecting years of overfishing by other countries.We - the EU and specifically Ireland - are suffering the consequences.

The question arises as to what we are going to do about it. There has been an effort by some extreme elements within this Parliament and outside to suggest that Ireland is the only country that is taking a hit in quota. The quota reduction based on scientific advice has been across the European Union and impacts each country specifically based on the quota which its possesses or has grandfathered rights to. It is particularly challenging for Ireland because the advice in relation to mackerel is particularly worrying. Therefore, the proposed cuts are significant. We, as a country, are impacted more than anyone because of the European quota. We have about 50% of it from an Irish perspective.

Ireland has consistently called for action against those countries that overfish mackerel. Given that Ireland holds the largest share of the EU quota of mackerel in the western waters area, the devastating impact of the decline in the stock will be acutely felt by both the catching and processing sector. On behalf of the Government, I have called for the EU to send a clear message that actions that threaten the sustainability of our shared stocks are not acceptable. At a number of recent AGRIFISH Council meetings, the importance of a concerted EU response was discussed by ministers, including the option of triggering the unsustainable fishing regulation. This is something that I have sought for some time and will continue to pursue.

Even after the December AGRIFISH Council meeting where the 2026 total allowable catch, TAC, and quota were set for 2026, we have seen questionable actions taken by other third countries in how we manage the mackerel stock for the north-east Atlantic. In late December, Norway, the UK, the Faroe Islands and Iceland agreed on management arrangements for mackerel for 2026 without the EU. The scientific headline advice for 2026 is a total allowable catch of 174,370 tonnes. This is based on a 50% probability that the stock will recover to biolimit mass, Blim, in 2027. Spawning stock biomass is the weight of the sexually mature fish in a population. Blim means the level of spawning stock biomass below which recruitment, that is, reproduction, is impaired or the stock dynamics are unknown. There is a strong basis for that which has been proposed.

Despite this however, the four parties of Norway, the UK, the Faroe Islands and Iceland have agreed that the 2026 TAC should be 299,010 tonnes. This is based on the alternative catch scenario given by ICES based on the application of the maximum sustainable yield, MSY, rule, ignoring that the stock is below that Blim. This higher catch is associated with a higher risk that the stock will not recover to Blim in 2027. The four-party agreement indicates that their combined share is 79.45%, which is equivalent to 238,000 tonnes and 37% above the headline advice of 174,000 tonnes. The EU also has to make a decision whether it remains faithful to the ICES advice of 174,000 tonnes or takes its share of the higher value of 299,000 tonnes. This was a question I posed to the EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, last week in Brussels. He assured me that all technical, diplomatic and political measures were being taken by him and his services to seek a solution to this issue.

However, there are many issues to be carefully considered here. A higher TAC means more fish for our fleet but the one issue we need to be mindful of is that overfishing by some third countries has led to the collapse of the stock and a careful balance needs to be struck. This is Ireland's most important stock and we need it to be sustained into the long term. Nevertheless, the impact of the scientific advice and resulting reductions in available quota, combined with Ireland not receiving its Hague preference quotas, will have significant operational and economic feasibility impacts on the seafood sector. The 2026 quota outcomes reflect the continued balancing act between maintaining viable fishing opportunities and protecting fish stocks in line with scientific advice under the Common Fisheries Policy. For Ireland, this reinforces the importance of maximising value from available quota and maintaining high standards of quality and market positioning.The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will continue to provide a range of supports and services to the Irish fleet under Ireland's €258 million seafood development programme, which is co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, EMFAM, running from 2021 to 2027.

In addition to the seafood development programme, I recognise that our fishing and seafood sector must be additionally supported through this very difficult time. I am clear that, despite the resilience shown by the sector, a whole-of-government approach is required to support it through this particular challenge. Together with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, I have committed to engaging with colleagues across the Government to assess what framework of supports may be available to the seafood sector, to explore options within the constraints of both EU and national Exchequer funding and the relevant EU and national legislation, and in particular taking account of the constraints imposed by EU state aid rules for the fisheries sector.

Next week I will be formally establishing a seafood sector group under the auspices of the Food Vision 2030 strategy to advance this commitment. A key priority of the food vision seafood group will be to ensure that a platform of economic, environmental and social sustainability supports are available to the fisheries and seafood processing sectors and their coastal communities. The new group will be chaired by Mr. Michael Berkery, an independent chair, and will include representatives from the fishing organisations, aquaculture and seafood processing organisations, my Department and its agencies and other relevant Government Departments and agencies. I will be writing to all the relevant stakeholders to share the terms of reference for the food vision seafood group and will request nominations for membership. It is intended to hold the first meeting of the group in the week commencing 16 February 2026. The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland's Future commits to securing a sustainable future for the fisheries sector, while supporting coastal communities that rely on this activity for their livelihood and I will work across Government to deliver on this commitment.

Before I conclude, I would like to discuss Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Blackwater fish kill, if the Cathaoirleach could give me a couple of minutes to do so. I think it is important because it is part of the overall fisheries brief. As Senators know, the Comptroller and Auditor General published its special report on governance, internal controls and value for money issues in IFI last October. The report provides an independent assessment of weaknesses identified over the period from 2019 to 2023. It also outlines the corrective actions that have been taken by IFI and the Department to address these issues, which include independent reviews, governance reforms and the appointment of a new board. The issues highlighted by the Comptroller and Auditor General are serious and not acceptable. IFI appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts in early December in respect of the Comptroller and Auditor General's special report and its 2023 financial statements. During the meeting, several items raised were not fully addressed and it is understandable that members of the Committee of Public Accounts continue to have questions. The committee has written to both our Department and IFI seeking additional information and a significant volume of records was provided to the committee, which is reviewing those at present.

The programme for Government includes a commitment to carry out an independent review of IFI. Last year I wrote to the IFI board setting out the Department's intention to carry out this review once a new CEO is appointed and embedded in the agency. An open recruitment process has been completed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of IFI seeking a new chief executive. The new CEO will be appointed shortly, subject to necessary clearance and approval processes. Having a new CEO in place will also allow the CEO to contribute constructively to the process and ensure IFI's executive team has direct ownership of any recommendations arising from the independent review.

The Blackwater fish kill was an event of significant importance to the inland fisheries sector but also to tourism and the general issue of biodiversity in an important river. A summary report of the investigation into the fish kill incident on the River Blackwater was published last September. The report provided an extensive account of the interagency investigation and set out the most likely sequence of events. Last October, I wrote to the chair of IFI, asking it to lead an independent incident review of the Blackwater incident on behalf of the interagency group established to oversee the investigation into the event. IFI subsequently secured the services of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to undertake this review. In December I announced this independent review of the incident that is aimed at strengthening how the State prevents, responds to and investigates such incidents, including the development of a formal interagency protocol for responding to fish kill incidents nationwide. A single, agreed protocol for all agencies involved will ensure that the relevant expertise, resources, and information are brought together quickly and will ensure consistency in how incidents are handled and communicated. Legislative amendments are being progressed to strengthen and modernise the existing IFI enforcement framework.The heads of Bill are being drafted and I intend to bring the legislative proposals to Government as soon as possible. The work of the Joint Research Centre, JRC, is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. I will consider the actions taken during the Blackwater incident and assess their effectiveness and make recommendations on how future prevention response can be improved. I look forward to the publication of that report as quickly as possible. I thank Members for their forbearance.

Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this afternoon. Speaking on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, we welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate on inland and marine fisheries.

As the Minister of State knows, Ireland's waters are among the most valuable natural resources. With a coastline of approximately 7,500 km, one of the longest in the European Union, our maritime area is central to our economy, our environment and the livelihoods of coastal communities across the country. Fianna Fáil deeply values the role of fisheries in supporting jobs, sustaining rural and coastal communities and contributing to national economic activity. This is why the Government has re-established the dedicated role of Minister of State for fisheries and the marine, ensuring focused political leadership in this vital sector. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, on his role to date.

However, the challenges facing the industry are stark. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea has published deeply concerning scientific advice for 2026 in respect of several stocks of significant importance to Ireland, including mackerel, blue whiting, boarfish and prawns. The impact of this advice became clear at the December AGRIFISH Council where fisheries opportunities for 2026 were set. These losses were further compounded by the failure to secure the Hague preferences.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara's most recent analysis indicates a reduction in the value of Ireland's quotas across all stock of approximately €102 million compared with 2025. That has serious brutal impacts on our coastal community. Importantly, this €102 million reduction does not capture the wider economic impact across the seafood value chain. Fish processors, ancillary services and coastal employment are all directly affected. Members of this value chain, particularly processors dependant on pelagic species, have expressed serious concerns about the viability of their business without adequate supply of raw material from Irish vessels. The outcomes of the December AGRIFISH Council will result in severely reduced fishing opportunities in 2026. The scientific advice underpinning these decisions reflects in large part the impact of sustained overfishing of the mackerel stock in certain third countries. The consequences in Ireland are profound and the Minister of State has outlined that in his contribution.

The total allowable catch for mackerel has been reduced by 70% alongside a 41% reduction in blue whiting and a 22% reduction in boarfish. Given that Ireland holds the largest share of EU quota for mackerel in the western waters area, the effects of this collapse will be felt acutely by Irish fishers and coastal communities. Ireland had consistently called for decisive action against countries that continue to overfish shared stocks. The Government has urged the European Union to send a clear and unambiguous message that practices that undermine the sustainability of shared marine resources are totally unacceptable. The AGRIFISH Council discussed the need for a co-ordinated EU response, including the potential triggering of the unsustainable fishing regulations. This is an approach for which the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, has advocated for some time and will continue to pursue in defence of Ireland's fishing sector and the long-term sustainability of our seas.

The Hague preferences are a long-established element of EU fisheries policy. They have been applied annually since the late 1980s to reflect Ireland's historically underdeveloped fishing fleet and the disproportionate access granted to other member states to Irish waters. When invoked, they allow additional quota to be allocated to Ireland from within the existing EU shares. For 2026, Ireland fully invoked the Hague preferences. Despite extensive and sustained engagement by the Minister of State with a range of other member states both in advance of and during a November and December AGRIFISH Council, a blocking minority led by France prevented their application. As a result, the Danish Presidency excluded the Hague preferences from the final compromise on fishing opportunities. Ireland made clear its strong objection to this outcome, particularly given the inconsistency in allowing this core element of relative sustainability to be blocked, while refusing to reopen discussion on another relatively sustainable issue.

Ireland has consistently called for urgent EU action and this position has been repeatedly raised at the AGRIFISH Council, including in January. The European Commission has confirmed that it is pursuing all technical, diplomatic and political avenues to resolve these issues and I sincerely wish it well. While fishing opportunities have been reduced, it is important to note that the Irish fleet will still have access to over 120,000 tonnes of quota in 2026. The Minister has committed to establishing a food vision 2030 working group, chaired by Mr. Michael Berkery, to develop a framework of supports for the sector, and engagement with stakeholders is ongoing. Is there a timeframe for that work to be completed?

Budget 2026 provides €157.7 million to support the fisheries sector for 2026. The Government remains fully committed to defending Ireland's fishing interests, supporting coastal communities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our fishing sector. In conclusion, as the Minister of State knows well, there is great worry and stress in our coastal communities at the moment of the outcome of all of this and what their future holds. It is vitally important. I know the Minister of State will stand firm on behalf of the Irish Government and on behalf of the coastal communities, which, at this point in time, are deeply worried and deeply concerned for what their future holds.

Gerard Craughwell (Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. This is the first time I have addressed him in this House since his elevation, so I congratulate him on that.

I would like to start off on a positive note. Having been with the Minister of State among coastal communities, I do believe that he has a natural empathy with the fishing community in Ireland. I also believe that when he returned from Europe following the recent negotiations, he was as hurt as any of the fishing families in the country by what has happened. For generations, this country has suffered in the fisheries area, and it is very difficult for fishing communities to understand.

Before I go on to anything else, I want to talk about the Gaffney family and the Mary Kate down in Arklow. The Minister of State might remember that particular incident when the trawler was taken out of service because it was dangerous. That family have suffered severe financial loss because of bureaucratic - I do not know what one would call it. Nobody wants to take responsibility for the loss to the family. I do not know where that case stands right now. I do know that the fisheries committee has been asked to look into it again and we might come back to the Minister of State on that. I just want to make note of that. The Minister of State might throw a bit of research into it himself.

Today, believe it or not, I want to discuss defence infrastructure in relation to the inland and marine fisheries. Without funding the authorities that are responsible for enforcing laws in this area, there will be a knock-on effect in other regulatory bodies. When we talk about fisheries protection, with one naval vessel at sea in the Atlantic at any given time, it is simply not possible to monitor illegal fishing that is taking place. The Air Corps does the best it can but, again, it has limited capacity for patrolling the area.

In the Minister of State's own County Clare, there is a company manufacturing drones in Shannon. We could have much greater protection of the Atlantic and many more, shall we say, seeing eyes in the Atlantic if we were to use indigenous industry manufacturing drones and have those drones patrolling the Atlantic. We could have that happening on a 24-hour-per-day basis. With €1.7 billion being spent in defence, why in God's name would we not spend some of it in our own country? The Minister of State might go to Shannon and visit that company. I am sure he has been there already, but he might go and visit it again to see what it might be able to do in the area of fisheries.Inland fisheries depend on search and rescue for crisis situations. We saw that we simply do not fund the search and rescue system well enough. The Minister of State will know from his last interaction with me on this in the previous Parliament that it was a matter dear to my heart. He and I spoke on it often. He had his own concerns. He visited a number of the SAR sites. We have got to look at that again and at how we negotiate those contracts into the future. We must have four or five Naval Service ships at sea or top cover using drones. Why not do it? Everybody else is doing it. It is happening in the Middle East and in many other countries. Drones protect life because they do not have pilots and the Naval Service is not at risk. It is something that I would ask him to look into.

I say this because there is a lack of strategic thinking on the part of the Government, and it has reduced our capability. For example, there is no maritime policy that I am aware of and that is something our committee is working on at the moment. Other countries have expressed concern regarding our ability to protect our own waters. Last year, the Japanese Prime Minister stated that Japan is deeply concerned at the lack of defence in the country, particularly when it comes to Internet cables and the like. I know that is slightly away from fishing, but it is all part of the maritime domain, as it were. I have harped on a bit about the Naval Service. We are in trouble unless we have a single authority responsible for everything at sea. The Garda has responsibility for undersea cables and the navy is responsible for fisheries and all sorts of other things. We really do need one single Department with control over that area.

There are also consequences for investigations. They must be immediate. We saw that with the crash of 116, which was vital to the north west of the country. My colleague from Fine Gael has already expressed his own concern, and I am sure he will do it today, about the need for helicopter services in the county of Donegal - the forgotten county in the north west. Donegal has one of the largest fishing fleets in the country. There is a massive harbour up there. I will leave it to my colleague to talk about that, but we do need to ensure that we have a Naval Service on the north-west coast, and right over to the north east, keeping an eye on what is going on in the area. I am looking for greater empowerment of the Air Corps and of the Naval Service, and I am looking for new thinking with respect to how we protect the Atlantic and our fisheries. We can do that with modern technology and drone technology.

My final point on fisheries affairs is that unless we get our national security right, all of the Minister of State's efforts will go to waste. He is fighting hard to preserve as much of the fishing stock as he possibly can, and if we do not have eyes on the sea to see what is going on, we cannot stop rogue countries coming in and stealing the stock. It is a simple as that. We can put nice words around it, but if they are fishing illegally in there, they need to be arrested and brought to heel. I know the Minister of State will do that.

In summing up, I believe that the Minister of State has a deep interest in the sea. His roots in the west probably give him that. He has empathy with the fishing community. I would like to see him try to drive more innovative strategic thinking when it comes to the Atlantic in particular. The same technology would work on the east coast. It would be cheap in the grand scheme of things. Not only that, it would send jobs into west Clare and we would see massive improvement in the overall protection and the overall number of eyes on the sea off the west coast. He might try to talk to his colleagues in the Department of Defence on that. Let us go to the drone manufacturer in Shannon, or any other drone manufacturer, to see what technology they have, see what is there that can be used and let us go and start using it. We do not need people out in the Atlantic, what we need is eyes, and drones can do that. I will leave it at that. Once again, I thank the Minister of State for being here.

Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am going to start with inland fisheries and then I will move on to the pelagic area. I am addressing the Cathaoirleach, the Minister of State and my colleagues today on the role of Inland Fisheries Ireland, the health of our rivers and streams and the policy decisions that will determine the future of Ireland's most valuable natural resource. Ireland's inland fisheries are not simply environmental concerns, they are economic, cultural, rural and development issues. The biodiversity, tourism, angling, coastal and land communities all reflect how seriously we take our environmental obligations under EU and national law. Inland Fisheries Ireland was established under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 with statutory responsibility for protecting, conserving and managing our inland fisheries resource, which involves more than 74,000 km of rivers and streams and 128 ha of lakes, as well as the 12-mile limit around our coast.

The IFI plays a vital role in enforcing fisheries and pollution legislation, conducting scientific monitoring and research, restoring habitats, supporting angling and rural economics, and advising the Government on fisheries and water policy. This is a broad mandate and it is important to acknowledge that progress has been made. There have been many necessary and welcome interventions. There is the barrier mitigation programme which had significant capital investment and brought real ecological gains by removing obstacles, weirs and structures that block the migration of fish. This is a tangible evidence-based success. There has been increased funding for river restoration, delivering through the IFI community partnership, which is helping to repair and dredge habitats and build local stewardship. There is a greater emphasis on a catch-based approach, including co-operation with LAWPRO, the local authority waters programme, and Teagasc which reflects a more intricate understanding of water management. There is regulation of the angling economy, in particular in rural Ireland, where there is increasing evidence of tourism and regulation development strategies. These initiatives show that when policy, funding and science align, progress is possible. However, there are serious gaps that require attention. Despite investment in water quality, there is a decline in many areas due to agricultural nutrients run-off, sedimentation and pollution, which remain persistent threats to fish kills, oxygen depletion and habitat loss. They still occur too frequently. Equally concerning is the governance and stakeholder engagement that has weakened, in particular through the absence of structured dialogue between the Government and those directly affected by fisheries policy.

I want to address specifically the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, NIFF, established under the 2010 Act. NIFF is a crucial strategy platform for stakeholder engagement, allowing anglers, commercial fishermen, environmental groups and communities to contribute to fishery policy formation. The forum last met in January 2025 and following the end of its term in 2025 it has not been re-established. Its absence represents a serious domestic policy weakness at a time when fisheries policy is under so much pressure from climate change, EU compliance requirements, declining stocks and competing land demands. The removal of this structured stakeholder voice weakens policy outcome and risks management at a local level. Will the Minister of State commit today to the immediate re-establishment of the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, and a clear timetable for its operation going forward?

Good environmental policy is strengthened not weakened by informed stakeholder input. Agriculture remains Ireland's economic and rural identity but I must be honest in saying it also impacts our rivers and streams. Nutrient run-off, sediment loss, bank erosion and poor riparian management continue to place pressure on our freshwater ecosystem. While farmers operate responsibly, the overall impact on catchment level remains significant. What is working is the shift away from purely enforcement-led action towards advisory based schemes, financial incentives and locally tailored solutions. Initiatives such as the farming for water European innovation partnership, EIP, project shows promise but it must be expanded, simplified and properly resourced if it is to deliver meaningful improvement at scale.Water protection cannot be treated as an optional add-on to agricultural policy. It must be embedded within it.

I want to comment on traditional draft net fisheries. These are often overlooked as part of Ireland's heritage. These fisheries are deeply embedded in the social and cultural fabric of coastal and rural communities. They have operated sustainably for generations and represent a direct connection with people, place and water. A clear example of this is the Loughros Mór Draft Net Fisher's Group in Ardara in my home county of Donegal. Fishermen currently pay a licence fee of €545, which is €147 higher than any other draft licence fee in the country, to use the fishery. Since the licence increase was introduced in 2022, repeated requests to align these fees with those that apply nationally have gone unanswered. This discrepancy is difficult to justify and places an unnecessary financial burden on small traditional fisheries that already operate within scientific and regulatory controls. Will the Minister of State reduce the licence fee relating to Loughros Mór and bring it into line with other draft net fisheries for the 2026 season? This would be a modest, meaningful gesture of fairness and recognition for a community that has been overseeing the fishery in a responsible manner for generations.

Inland Fisheries Ireland operates at the intersection where the environment, culture, economics and community meet. Progress has been made, but challenges remain, including declining water quality, weakened stakeholder engagement and pressure on traditional fisheries. What is required is policy consistency, strong Government action and renewed dialogue. By restoring the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, strengthening catchment levels, supporting responsible farming and treating traditional fisheries with fairness and respect, the Government can ensure that Ireland's inland waters are protected, not just for compliance or conservation but also for all the communities that depend on them.

I have a couple of questions on the pelagic sector. We know that other countries have taken a 47% cut. Why can Europe not agree a 47% cut? That would have a major impact on our ports. What is Europe doing about third countries? The Minister of State had meetings with the Commissioner. One question that keeps coming up is what we are doing about both third countries and legal action in respect of the Hague preferences. The other question that keeps coming up concerns the service industries. Will they be included in the new group? Is there any word on getting the ports opened up in order that we can try to attract other boats?

Chris Andrews (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The outcome of the December EU Fisheries Council represents nothing short of a catastrophe for Ireland's fishing industry and for the coastal communities that depend on it. This deal is a betrayal of fishermen, processors, families and entire ports whose livelihoods are now hanging by a thread. According to the Seafood Ireland Alliance, Ireland will have 57,000 tonnes less of a quota to fish in 2026. This will deliver a direct hit of €94 million to the industry. When wider economic impacts are considered, the damage could reach €200 million next year alone. This is not abstract; it means real jobs - 2,300 of which will be immediately at risk in places like Killybegs, Castletownbere, Howth and countless smaller harbours and villages around our coast. We are facing a situation where vessels may be able to fish for ten to 12 days a year. Factories that once operated for three to five months may be reduced to two or three weeks of work. Every segment of the fleet – whitefish and pelagic, offshore and inshore - will be affected. Job losses are inevitable. This is the darkest hour ever for Ireland's fishing industry.

Ireland fished responsibly while others did not. Non-EU states ignored science, inflated their catches and created this crisis, yet Ireland is carrying the heaviest proportional losses. That is fundamentally unjust. The European Union has failed Ireland's fishing industry repeatedly. This latest decision exposes just how unfair the Common Fisheries Policy has become. Ireland is paying the price for chronic overfishing by third countries while EU-based corporations, some allegedly investing heavily in the same fleets, continue to wield extraordinary influence at European level.

At the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs this week, Sinn Féin has been seeking clear answers from the Minister of State. How was this outcome allowed to occur? What immediate life support will be provided to the Irish fleet and the processing sector? What alternative courses does the Government now intend to pursue? Critically, we need to know whether the Government will allow the last remaining safeguard for Ireland under the CFP, namely the Hague preferences, to be stripped away without a legal fight. These preferences date back to 1976. They were designed to protect highly dependent fishing nations like Ireland from extreme quota cuts. They are an insurance policy that guarantee a minimum level of fish to catch in our own waters. However, for the first time in almost 50 years, they were blocked and were prevented from even being put to a vote by France, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. Let us be clear. This was not a technical adjustment. It was a political choice. The refusal to honour the Hague preferences fundamentally undermines the viability of Ireland's coastal communities. As one industry representative asked in plain terms, if this protection cannot be honoured, why should Ireland continue to offer such generous access to its waters?

It is deeply concerning that one large seafood corporation based in the Netherlands appears to have more influence in Europe in respect of quota allocation than the Irish State. That is not acceptable. We need answers.

While I acknowledge the efforts made by the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, at Council level, this cannot be the end of the road. The Taoiseach and the Tánaiste must urgently intervene. Ireland cannot continue with meek resistance while our industry is hollowed out. What is required is a radical reset in how the State approaches fisheries at the European level. Business as usual has failed. The days of quiet acceptance must end.

Alongside that fight in Europe, immediate action is required at home. Inshore fishermen in particular are under relentless pressure due to rising costs, climate-driven loss of fishing days, volatile markets and repeated quota cuts. It is now beyond dispute that a basic income stabilisation payment is required to keep this sector alive. Sinn Féin supports the proposal from the National Inshore Fishermen's Association for an inshore fisheries income stabilisation and climate compensation scheme, similar in principle to the basic income support rightly provided to artists. We welcome the Minister of State's assurance that this proposal will be considered by the Michael Berkery-led task force. That task force must be established as a matter of urgency, with clear terms of reference agreed with the seafood sector and adequate funding on the table. Fishermen cannot wait months while livelihoods collapse. Protecting inshore fishing is not only economically sensible; it is about protecting culture, heritage and the social fabric of coastal and island communities.

I want to briefly address the issue of inland fisheries. Ireland’s rivers and lakes are a vital public asset, supporting biodiversity, tourism and rural livelihoods, yet they are in serious decline. Wild salmon and sea trout stocks are falling, water quality remains poor, fish migration is obstructed and climate pressures are mounting. This reflects a lack of co-ordination across Departments and agencies. We need a comprehensive inland fisheries policy incorporating clear targets for water quality, habitat restoration and stock recovery and developed in partnership with stakeholders and anglers.

Once again, as with Brexit, Ireland has been left carrying a burden created by others. That is unjust. It reflects badly on the European Union and on a fisheries system that consistently sacrifices small coastal nations in favour of large, powerful interests. Ireland cannot accept this outcome. Our fishing communities deserve fairness, protection and leadership. It is time this State delivered that.

Malcolm Noonan (Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is very welcome. I want to make a few points, starting with inland fisheries. The issue around water quality has been mentioned. In his opening statement, he mentioned the Blackwater fish kill. All around the country, river trusts are being established. Some now connect to the water action plan, for which community catchment fora will be established. This will provide us with a mechanism and basis under which we can work collaboratively to restore our rivers, as the previous speaker said. The benefits that can be accrued from restoring nature at scale, in particular in our waters, will have knock-on positive benefits for inland fisheries, in particular removing barriers to fish passage and spawning, which was a clear commitment in the water action plan I launched a couple of years ago. Separately, some of the pilot projects initiated over the past number of years need to happen at scale. It is important.

On the work that is ongoing, our River Nore trust met a few weeks ago. It is wonderful to see anglers, activists and environmentalists coming together with a shared vision for water quality that will do wonders to establish or re-establish our waters as healthy places for fish.

The climate committee will produce its report on the Blackwater fish kill. To me, the response has been wholly inadequate. It beggars belief that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, still has not revoked a licence for a repeat offender. We know there is a repeat offender in this case and we know where the source is coming from. It has to be the case that, if incidents like this continue, they be dealt with. This is one of the largest fish kills in the history of the State. If we do not have the mechanisms in the State to go after the offenders in this case, we will see more of them. I hope the commitment the Minister of State gave in his opening statement is met. It is critical that we have confidence in the system. I was sent a video from an angler in my county, Kilkenny, of a slurry tanker parked off a roadside pouring slurry into a field high up into the air while there was still heavy rainfall, very near the River Nore special area of conservation, SAC. That is unacceptable in this day and age.

From our perspective, as a collective as we are now establishing our river trust and want the State and Government match our commitment to restoring our waters. We are doing work week in and week out on invasive species, etc. The farming for water EIP was mentioned. It is a positive way forward and I welcome the ongoing commitment of the Government on that. We also have to get a commitment that the Government will fight tooth and nail to ensure that dedicated LIFE funding is maintained in the next European multi-annual financial framework out of the next EU budget. There is a very real threat to stand-alone funding streams, which are vital. We see that with the Lough Carra, Wild Atlantic Nature and many other environmental LIFE projects. If we lose that dedicated fund, I fear that a lot of the money for the competitiveness fund will instead be diverted to other priorities in other member states. I ask the Minister of State and the Government to fight to ensure that the dedicated environmental funding is there to support landowners to restore our waters.

The Minister of State will not be surprised to hear that my final point relates to our marine protected areas, MPAs, and MPA legislation. My understanding from the Minister of State's response to a Commencement matter is that he has given a commitment that the heads of a Bill will be drafted before the summer break. I ask him to try to speed that up because it would be important to get that legislative process moving before the summer recess. I would hate to see it drag on into the autumn and into the budgetary cycle and all sorts of other priorities. We have waited for the MPA legislation for a long time.

The issues we are discussing in terms of the marine, fisheries and healthy oceans are all interconnected. We know there are positive spillover effects from MPAs in terms of fish stocks. Reference has been made to the fact that there is perhaps an opportunity for fishers to be involved in monitoring programmes in terms of the health of ecosystems, such as the restoration of sea-grasses and marine ecosystems. Perhaps there is an opportunity, through the MPA LIFE project, which I mentioned, for fishers to be centrally involved and not have fishing vessels tied up when they could be used in an important way. I ask the Minister of State to take that with him and consider the opportunity that may exist in the MPA legislation. We know important work is ongoing. I will not say that nothing is happening; quite a lot is happening, and I appreciate that. I ask that the Minister of State take those points away.

Noel O'Donovan (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I want to make a couple of brief points and will try not to repeat a lot of what has been said already. I welcome the debate on the fishing sector. Any discussion about fishing and supporting our communities across the nation that need a strong fishing sector is a welcome debate.

I want to genuinely thank the Minister of State for his engagement with the sector over the Christmas period. He travelled to Castletownbere and Killybegs. As I have said time after time, engaging and listening is the most important thing that we do and the actions of the Minister of State were well respected by the community in Castletownbere. He took on board some of the basic suggestions made. It is to be hoped those will feed into the new fishing group that is being set up.

I do not find myself agreeing with Sinn Féin a lot of the time, but my colleague, Senator Andrews, has expressed how we all feel about the sector and what needs to happen. Before Christmas, I spoke after the December Fisheries Council about the European process, explaining how I considered myself to be a proud European but also how we felt we were betrayed by Europe. I do not think we can lose sight of that fact.

I have a couple of opinions and questions. I raised the legal opinion at a committee before Christmas. Have we received a response to a legal opinion on challenging the non-acceptance of the Hague preferences? It is a real change in how Europe treats this country and small nations. I am not questioning the European process, but European leaders have to question their processes and how they treat small countries. There has been a reaction on social media and the dangers of protests across Europe because a European process is not listening well enough. Do we have movement on the legal opinion?

Senator Boyle explained how the Nordic countries were increasing their total allowable catch in terms of mackerel. I welcome the conversation the Minister of State had with the Commission on that last week. What does he feel is the Commission's view on this? There are technical discussions going on, but will they stand up? This is an opportunity. The Nordic countries can be blamed for overfishing, but this is an opportunity to move from blame to agreement where we can all fish waters and achieve a fair catch. That is where I would like to see the conversation moved to. Rather than blaming Nordic countries, we could instead have an agreement. I ask for a clear statement on whether the Commission has views on that. The timing is imminent. Mackerel stocks are in this country at the start of the year. Timing for the Irish sector is important and we need agreement on that. I ask for an answer on that.

I welcome the announcement that the group will be set up in February. It is important that the terms of reference be broad. We are at a crossroads in terms of the fishing sector. We cannot go backwards, but we can move forward. We have a generational opportunity to change our fishing communities for inshore and offshore. It is important that this can bring about change in terms of stabilisation funding for our inshore fishermen and support for our pelagic fishers who are suffering losses. We have to support the net and boat builders in our communities.

We have a generational opportunity to sort out the fishing sector. All of us, including the Department and Governments, have blame for why we are here, but we can move forward together by listening, engaging, putting the proper financial supports in place and making policy changes that are required.

Some will say that the Minister of State has been dealt a hard hand and has a difficult task, but he has a golden opportunity. I genuinely wish him well. He has to do well for the communities we represent. There have been various documentaries on the fisheries sector, which includes trawler workers and the dangers, threats and loss of life faced by people who work in the industry. We owe it to the industry to address the issues.

I have said a few times that we need to grasp this opportunity. The timeline of the working group is important and I ask for an indication as to what it will be. There is an immediate financial ask because factories do not have fish and boats cannot go out. There have been and will be further job losses, so the timeline is important.

I again wish the Minister of State well in his work.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I will start by noting how much the Chair suits you, Senator Costello. Maybe it is something you should think about in the future. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for giving up his time and for his engagement.

Fishing is of huge importance to many of our communities and it often goes under the radar because of the numbers involved in fishing compared with agriculture, for example, but to the communities involved in fishing, it is everything. It is often the main source of employment, directly and indirectly. Senator O'Donovan and I come from Cork South-West where the communities are very involved in fishing. I also know from dealing with councillors whose local electoral areas, LEAs, include fishing communities how important it is to them. Our party's commitment to fishing is evident by the re-establishment of a stand-alone Minister of State. A few weeks ago I had a coffee with a fisherman from Castletownbere who is very near retirement. His father and grandfather fished before him, as do his son and grandson. He summed it up very well when he said, "Before, we used to be afraid of drowning but now our main fears are quotas and regulations.". That just sums up how fishing communities feel.

I want to acknowledge the work the Minister of State does and did on the international stage. He held many meetings about the Hague preferences and total allowable catches. On the national stage, I would like to acknowledge his regular availability to the fishing sector. Over Christmas, when many people were nursing hangovers and kissing people under mistletoe, the Minister of State travelled to Castletownbere and Killybegs, a long distance from County Clare.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I was under the mistletoe with Senator Boyle and Senator O'Donovan.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Was it nice? Did you enjoy it, lads?

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It was frosty.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State often gets abuse, especially online, but many of the people engaging in that abuse would not know a fish if it hit them across the face. What is very interesting is that the fishing organisations never abuse him, which shows the respect they have for him. They acknowledge and believe that he is doing his best.

I will finish by acknowledging the stakeholder engagement. The issue of unsustainable fishing of key pelagic stocks such as mackerel by certain coastal states outside the EU has been raised by Ireland repeatedly. This Government has, through the AGRIFISH Council, called for urgent EU action to save the north-east Atlantic pelagic stocks and further called for the EU to send a clear message that actions that threaten the sustainability of our shared stocks are not acceptable to the EU. At the AGRIFISH Council on 26 January Ireland repeated its call for a resolution of the issues relating to mackerel in the north-east Atlantic. The Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Mr. Costas Kadis, assured Ireland and other concerned member states that the EU was using all technical, diplomatic and political measures to find a satisfactory solution. An Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, have met with the fishing industry regularly and have listened carefully to its views. I urge the Minister of State to keep up the good work. We are a small country with a big heart and we very much depend on our fishing industry.

Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Before I call the next speaker I want to welcome to the Public Gallery my dear friends, the lost boys, also known as the Dragon walking club. This group of people are very close friends of mine and they have raised tens of thousands of euro for numerous local and national charities. Alongside our good friends in Kerry, we do annual walks. I think everyone here has contributed at some point and has heard of this group. It is an honour to have them in here today and we will have a good night tonight. Senator Sarah O'Reilly is next.

Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House today. At the moment there is a lot of frustration with Inland Fisheries Ireland because of its governance issues and the level of habitat destruction we are seeing in our lakes and rivers. Recent audits and scrutiny have revealed financial and governance failures in Inland Fisheries Ireland. For example, there were 52 staff credit cards in 2020 that totalled over €148,000 in spending. That figure has reduced somewhat in recent years but it is still excessive for an organisation of IFI's size. A fleet of IFI vehicles was found to have 15 hired vehicles that were uninsured in 2021 and when one of those was involved in a crash, it cost the taxpayer €230,000, all because of a failure to insure the vehicles. More than two dozen whistleblower complaints have been made in recent years, leading to external investigations and deep concern among staff and stakeholders alike. In some cases prosecutions against polluters were dropped due to basic administrative failures. That is totally unacceptable and should be looked into. It is hard to place trust in IFI when it cannot seem to get its own house in order. We have seen multiple cases like Blackwater in Cork and Lough Sheelin in Cavan, where IFI was not able to detect a direct pollutant source. It is difficult for me, anglers and the general public to accept this or to understand how the IFI could be so unreliable. Habitat restoration has been set back years and the hundreds of thousands of euro spent on restoring fish stocks has just gone down the drain. What outcomes are being achieved and why are stocks continuing to collapse? To see fish kills happening in multiple lakes and rivers without any explanation is both unacceptable and unjustifiable. There needs to be more accountability from IFI.

To move on to fisheries and the marine, the Minister of State referred earlier to extreme elements within Parliament. To what was the Minister of State referring? I have seen my colleagues standing up for fishermen and for fishing communities time and time again. Most of us get very passionate about it, which is admirable because it means that we really care. The real problem here is that the Irish fishing industry is being slowly phased out but the Government is more or less pretending that this is not happening. We have statements on fishing and each time we hear that progress is being made but the reality on the ground is that this is not true. A 70% reduction in mackerel cannot be glossed over. It is devastating for the industry. Irish fishermen are only permitted to catch 28 tonnes of sole from their own waters while Belgian fishermen can catch up to 400 tonnes. No one understands what is happening better than fishing communities themselves. They are watching their legacy and businesses dying out. The big five Dutch companies which have massive control over quotas across the EU are investing significantly in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Is the Minister of State addressing this and how is he doing so? If people are coming across to the Minister of State as extreme, it is because we are hearing first hand, every single day, from fishermen who are fighting to save their communities, livelihoods and families.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State is very welcome. I thank him for agreeing to come in to discuss the marine and inland fishing sector. I will not dwell too long on the marine sector because my colleagues have covered that very well. Regarding the scientific advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, that is, of course, something that we have to abide by and agree on. However, that only works is everybody abides by it and there is no illegal fishing by third countries and no illegal fishing of our valuable mackerel stocks. That is my concern in relation to all of this. How do we know who is abiding by the rules and who is not? How do we know whether other countries and boats are abiding by the rules in our waters? That is the concern.

I welcome the indication of the Hague preferences and the legal advice or opinion that has been sought on that. In relation to the Presidency of the EU, does the Minister of State intend to raise the issue of the Common Fisheries Policy?It is often cited that when we joined the European Union we lost the sovereignty of our seas. Is there a need for a reset or at least the opening of a discussion on that matter?

I turn to Inland Fisheries Ireland. Part of the programme for Government is the independent review. I welcome that the Minister of State will look at and start that once the new chief executive officer of Inland Fisheries Ireland has been appointed. I have a question on another commitment in the programme for Government regarding the protection and recognition of the great western lakes as salmonoid waters. When will the Minister of State have plans to pursue that? I go back to scientific advice. The allowable catch in our inland fisheries is based on scientific advice from within the Department and I acknowledge that. However, there are the Clare river by-laws that propose to put in bag limits for trout because of pressure on the numbers. Of course, there are pressures on the numbers of trout when you have large pike eating all before them at the mouth of the Clare river. When I was in the Minister of State's position I fought valiantly for a by-law that was signed by my successors Richard Bruton and Seán Canney. It became law, albeit for a brief period before being challenged in the courts and falling. It relates to removing the limit on the size of pike that can be removed from the western lakes. Basically, you can remove smaller pike, but you cannot remove a pike longer than 85 cm, which are the larger pike and the hens that are going to lay all the eggs. In response to a parliamentary question last year, the Minister stated he is carrying out a review of by-laws 806 and 809 of 2006. These relate to protection of pike. Those were put in place in response to fishing of large pike and taking them out of the country in big freezers to Germany and elsewhere. That came in at that time for a specific issue. Now you have a situation where those same large pike are being protected. They are the ones causing the predation and reducing the allowable catch, which means the Minister of State possibly has to go out to defend bringing in by-laws for reduced catches of trout. This is the contradiction. I understand the review is being carried out of fisheries by-laws in force for ten years or more and their continued application, in particular how the EU fisheries directive is or is not being applied in the case of pike. Those are some of the key points.

The Minister of State knows as a former Member of this House that I have raised particular issues on inland fisheries. I will not go there. There have been some results on that, and I hope that the scrutiny the Committee of Public Accounts is now giving to the Comptroller and Auditor General's reports on Inland Fisheries Ireland will have positive impacts. Nothing I did was a witch hunt. It related to good governance of a State agency and State organisation. I hope the ongoing scrutiny by the Committee of Public Accounts and the review the Minister of State will be enacting as a commitment in the programme for Government will bear fruit.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for being here for this worthwhile debate. He has inherited a lot of challenges during a difficult time for the inland, onshore and offshore sectors. He faces no shortage of challenges. As previous speakers stated, we all acknowledge his engagement to date with all fishery and advocacy groups for the sector as a whole because so many challenges need to be dealt with. On a continental level we need more support from friends and colleagues across Europe because the whole idea of the European ideal is collegiality, working together, fairness, justice and equality. That is not being felt by fishermen and fisherwomen in Ireland. We feel like we are being taken advantage of. We feel like it is a raw deal.

Last week, along with Senators Boyle and O'Donovan, I hosted a future of fishing discussion in the audiovisual room. We had approximately 30 Members of the Oireachtas from across all parties supporting the offshore and inshore fisheries sectors in this stark time. The message is clear that there are huge vulnerabilities in that sector. It is a seminal moment for the sector and in the coming years difficult decisions will have to be made. However, they will be cushioned by proper financial support for the sector to get through the coming years to make sure we have an industry and sector for the next generation if we can manage our way through. The Minister of State has full support from this Chamber and the other House on that. He will have our full support on whatever he needs to fight to make sure there are sufficient financial supports available for what he wants to achieve.

I turn to inland fisheries and the threats to different waterways like the River Moy in my county of Mayo. Again, it is something the Minister of State is aware of, and I would really appreciate if he would meet with the Moy Action Group, which formed in a constructive way following the public meeting held in Ballina, where the proposal that has gone through public consultation is to reduce the catching number of salmon to 1,044. There are some constructive proposals like an EU LIFE project along the River Moy that can engage landowners and all stakeholders to make sure everything possible is done from an environmental point of view to make sure the practice of salmon fishing is sustainable and can be protected for future generations. People understand there are environmental challenges but there also need to be constructive ways of working with stakeholders like the Moy Action Group, the River Moy anglers association and the trusts along the River Moy. They all play a vital part, from a fishing heritage point of view and from the ecological, biodiversity and tourism impacts they have. I also acknowledge the Erris inshore fisheries, with whom I have been engaging. As part of that task force being formed, it is important voices like theirs are heard, that is, both the inshore and the offshore sectors.

Last week was a good example of the sector working together. I know they are sometimes pitted against each other and that is not a good place to be. We need to be constructive and acknowledge that the whole sector is under pressure. The best way to support it is by working together and making sure there is a package that supports and represents both the inshore and offshore sectors. There should also be separate supports for inshore fisheries like the River Moy and other rivers under pressure and threat and for the local economies, through the chambers of commerce, that are reliant on seasonal fishing tourists coming into the area, generally from France and Germany. We should have supports in place for those industries in order that we can mitigate the short-term threat and have a sustainable long-term future for the sectors. I appreciate the Minister of State's engagement on it and look forward to hearing his reply.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As I have a relatively short period to respond I will do the best I can and will engage with Senators afterwards if I have not had a chance to address all the matters. Senator Gallagher set out the concerns that exist across this House and across the communities affected. I think he is acutely aware of the challenges we face. Senator Craughwell raised a number of issues. He raised that of the Gaffney family regarding a particular issue. I know that is a complex case and I believe I will be meeting with members of the family tomorrow. He talked quite a bit about the defence infrastructure and how the use of certain technology could be useful in addressing illegal fishing.It could also be useful for providing other defence capabilities, which we are concerned about - particularly in relation to that Russian grey fleet that regularly traverses our waters and where we do not even have primary radar to have any capture of that. I agree with him on our technological advances, particularly in relation to drones, both subsea and above in our airspace. I recently met with a section of the University of Limerick and there are some very interesting projects and ideas there. I look forward to working with all concerned on that. He talked about the use of drones for top cover search and rescue. That certainly should be looked at. It is about protecting coastal communities, as he said. I am very much in tune with that. We must continue to work with a focus on the massive and wonderful resource of our oceans as well.

Senator Boyle is a regular contributor and very intimately involved in the fishing sector in Killybegs. He is someone whose opinion and advice matters to me a lot. He concentrated mainly on the inland fisheries side of things. That is something we are working through in the Department to address some of the key issues that existed. There has been a long, concerning history. I now think we are at a seminal moment. We are about to appoint a new CEO, which I think will give a very significant shift in direction. We have lots of really good and positive people working within the organisation. There is now an opportunity to gather around a new CEO and drive ahead with that.

The Senator raised issues with the National Inshore Fisheries Forum . I am familiar with the grouping. It is in regular contact with us and forms part of our stakeholder engagements. It is regularly in consort with us through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. On the pelagic side, the question exists of why have others managed to follow a 47% cut and we have taken a 70% cut. At the outset, I outlined the scientific reasoning behind that but I challenged the Commission and asked it how can I ask our fishermen and fisherwomen to abide by a very dramatic cut in a fishing opportunity to protect the species while we only control about 20% of that region's quota, taking into account the third countries. We only control 20% of that quota and 80% is held by the third countries. If they are going to fish at a rate much higher than us, it does not bode well for the conservation measures.

In my view, it is a matter of the Commission giving very serious consideration to using the tools it has through the use of the unsustainable fishing regulation or let us set a TAC where we are effectively all on a level playing pitch. I noted from the contributions of other member states that quite a number indicated and used the terminology "a level playing pitch" and I think we have to get there through whatever means. I will continue to pursue the Commission on that and I will be meeting the Commissioner perhaps next week in Strasbourg but certainly the week after in Brussels.

Senator Andrews talked about the impact of the cut in our quotas, the cut in the fishing effort and the impact that is having. I do not want to ascribe any misdeeds to anybody but when you juxtapose the word "betrayal" with the outcome of the Council meeting, that is an unfair parallel. Every country that had quota within the European Union for those stocks took the same quota cut. I am certainly not suggesting that Senator Andrews is suggesting this but there are some who extrapolate that and say that we were unfairly treated in December. We were treated the same as everybody else.

Historically, some countries have a much greater quota than us. I see some state that a country only has a certain amount of shoreline and then ask how, as we have infinitely more shoreline, they can have a greater quota. Quotas were not provided to countries based on the length of their shoreline. They were based on what was the fishing effort and the catch in the reference year. That is where some people seek to hijack a difficult situation which the sector is going through and present to those who are not as intimately involved in it that somehow, Ireland was robbed, stolen from, abused and mistreated.

It is the case that when we came into the European Union, we had a very underdeveloped fishing fleet. Others were fishing our waters with much greater intensity because they had a history of that. We have managed to build an industry and it is now challenged because of the overfishing. Of course, I will continue to fight to try to ensure we have a fair crack of the whip and that overfishing is addressed to the greatest extent possible.

Senator Andrews rightly identified that the Hague preferences were something we felt we had a legal entitlement to but, unfortunately, that fell on deaf ears by the capacity of others. When we started out in the European Union, the veto existed where one country could block decisions. That is not the case any more and we found that to our pain last December.

Others have asked me about the potential for a legal challenge. That is something we are still exploring but there was an ECJ case previously which found that the decision around the Hague preferences was a matter for the Council of fisheries ministers. That is where it becomes complicated. That is already a decision that must be taken as to whether another case taken against that would be successful. It is hard to imagine at this stage. If we can find a legal pathway, however, I am certainly up for the battle in that regard. We have not found such a pathway yet.

Others and Senator Andrews talked about access to Irish waters. It is a case that as we entered the European Union, those waters are now a shared resource. We saw what happened when the UK pulled out. It effectively brought the control of its waters with it. We had a heavy price to pay in terms of the stocks we gave up to retain access to that space. He talked about the inshore fishermen and yes, they are really important.

Senator Malcolm Noonan talked a lot about the inshore fisheries. He referenced the River Blackwater. I mentioned in my opening statement that it was not the end of the road. While we were unable to identify the source of the irritant that was in the water that led to such a significant fish kill, we followed procedures all the way. We have sought independent external advice from the Joint Research Centre of the European Union. I hope to be able to publish a report from it very shortly which, amongst other things, will review all the actions that were taken and will set a pathway forward as to how we might be in a better position for something like this not to happen again.

I expect some of that will be about an incumbency on certain State agencies to look at more dynamic testing of sites that are licensed, etc., and to inform the development of a protocol in order that when an event like this happens, we have a template to respond rather than trying to pull it together in an ad hoc way, which was done in the past. The Senator talked about the marine protected areas, MPAs, and it is very much my hope to have the MPA legislation finished before the summer. We are progressing well with that. We are all dedicated to improving water quality. Water quality is such a fundamental part of ensuring biodiversity in our rivers and ensuring we have healthy fish life. However, there are many other challenges to the fish stocks, both in our oceans and our rivers. It is principally climate change and pollution that have impacts there.

Senator Noel O'Donovan talked about quite a number of things. He talked about the legal opinion and I referred to him on that when I discussed the challenge. He talked about the 78% versus the 48% and I think I have addressed that. He questioned where the Commission is on the topic. The Commission wants to remain at 70% but there is a body of belief emerging, particularly about mackerel, that if we have such a small percentage of the overall allowable catch when you take into consideration the third countries I referred to such as Norway, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and the UK, us taking a very conservative approach is only helping 20% of the stock. If somebody else is fishing the 80%, there is no equality there.The Senator also talked about the real challenges there, and when we want to get this report concluded. I would like to have an interim report by the end of quarter 2 addressing the pelagic situation, which is the initial impact on our fishing fleet as a result of the reduced opportunities for this year. It is also important we continue to address some of the issues that have bedevilled the industry for several years and are also of grave concern to the inshore fishing sector. I wish to continue working on that after quarter 2 and move towards developing that five-year strategy for the fishing sector, which is identified in the programme for Government. That work will continue. Senator O'Donovan also talked about the illegal, unreported and unregulated, IUU, fishing and the impact that is having.

I thank Senator Murphy O'Mahony for her compliments. She is regularly in contact with me to raise the issues of fishermen and women in the constituency she knows best. She has been a very strong advocate for the way forward being for us to challenge at European level the real negative impact of overfishing or unsustainable fishing practices. That is something I and the Department are absolutely committed to, but we have to be mindful that if others are prepared to walk away from that, we will have to look to see where that leaves us from an equality perspective. I look forward to the Senator's continued input.

Senator O'Reilly may have been concerned about something I said about extreme elements. I was not referring to her in this House, but I did reflect that there are some who seek to hype a difficult situation which does not need any hype. It has got plenty of legs from the communities impacted and we do not need any extraneous arguments entered into. We know how we got here, we know what we have to do, and when we do not have fish, we have to find ways for the State to support the sector. That is what we are about.

One or two Senators asked when we hope to kick off the task force under that seafood directive. Hopefully, Monday week will be our first meeting. We are writing out to stakeholders and we expect we will have our first plenary meeting on 16 February. However, there is work going on in the background at departmental level, and I will conclude on this because I want to mention one or two others who were there. I thank Senator O'Reilly for her continued interest in this area. She talked about IFI. Yes, there were very significant issues in IFI. There have been some significant changes and numerous investigations and the PAC is still addressing ongoing legacy issues. There was a new board put in place and I have full confidence in that board. There is a new CEO about to be appointed and there is now a pathway to much brighter days to address the concerns.

I probably do not have time to get into all of what Senator Kyne talked about, but when there is a new CEO in place we will certainly be working to address the great western lakes issue. He talked about the allowable catch and the pike issue, and I will take that up with the new CEO. We will certainly work through that.

Senator Duffy continues to raise issues. I will definitely meet with the Moy Action Group. There was a public consultation based on the proposals for next year, which were due to be concluded by the end of the year. There were many submissions because of the significant changes were put forward, and I have taken some time on that. I have allowed the 2025 regulations to continue in the interim period. I have written to the chairman of IFI, made some suggestions to him based on the responses to that and indicated how I think we could proceed. I will update the House as soon as we have some more information. I assure the Senator it is a work in progress. I might wait until the conclusion of that to meet the group concerned. I think that is the greatest amount of latitude I am going to get from the Acting Chairperson, but I am happy to work with the Senator on that.