Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the hardship caused by conditions to licences awarded to certain fishing vessels (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5824/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Fisheries Consolidation Act 1959, as amended, expressly empowers the licensing authority to make it a condition of a sea-fishing boat licence that a certain proportion of the crew of a boat shall be of a specified nationality. The requirement for a certain proportion of crew members to be of EU nationality arises from the importance of achieving the maximum economic benefit to coastal communities and the Irish economy generally from the operation of an Irish sea-fishing boat. The requirement was reduced from 75% to 50% in 2001 following representations from industry representatives. It should be noted that the recent enlargement of the European Union has increased the number of potential crew members from EU nationalities. Since this change was implemented, there has been no demand from industry representatives for any further change in this requirement. In the event that a change in the requirement is pursued by industry representatives, I will review the matter.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the licensing authority will issue a short-term polyvalent licence to a person (details supplied). [5862/05]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of short-term polyvalent licences which have been issued since 1 January 2005. [5863/05]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of short-term pelagic licences which have been re-issued since 1 January 2005. [5864/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 178 to 180, inclusive, together.

The particular licence applicant referred to by the Deputy wrote to me on 31 January 2005 seeking a polyvalent sea-fishing boat licence for the vessel in question, without the provision of 100% replacement capacity, on a short-term basis. I wrote to him on 9 February informing him that responsibility for the licensing of sea-fishing boats had transferred to the licensing authority for sea-fishing boats established under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 and that I had passed his letter to the head of the licensing authority, a senior official in the Department, for direct reply to him. The licensing authority operates on an independent basis subject to certain criteria and implements licensing policy in accordance with ministerial policy directives.

I understand that the licensing authority, which had previously met and written to the individual concerned about this matter, replied to him on 10 February and again explained that sea-fishing boat licensing policy does not permit the licensing authority to license the vessel without full replacement capacity being provided in advance. It pointed out that ministerial policy directive 2/2003, issued to the licensing authority on 17 November 2003, makes it clear that the 1:1 replacement capacity requirement applies other than in limited specified cases. I understand that the licensing authority recently agreed to extend, by three months, the period of validity of the licence offer issued to the individual concerned to give him more time to comply with licensing requirements.

On the question of "short-term" licences, no statutory period is specified in respect of which sea-fishing licences may be granted. Subject to any overriding licensing policy considerations, this is an operational matter for the licensing authority which can issue licences having validity for any period of time in the interests of efficient management of licensing and taking into account any other relevant issues such as safety requirements.

The licensing authority had, up to 17 February, issued six new sea-fishing boat licences for the polyvalent fleet segment since the beginning of this year. Full replacement capacity was provided in all cases prior to licensing, as required under general licensing policy. The licensing authority has, since 1 January 2005, issued six renewal licences in respect of vessels in the pelagic fleet segment. The six vessels concerned have been licensed in accordance with section H of policy directive 2/2003, as amended, which specifically sets out the manner in which replacement capacity must be provided by vessel owners in the pelagic segment in respect of works previously claimed as "safety tonnage".