Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the sections of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 that are in force; the way work is progressing on the establishment of the Irish Sea Fisheries Protection Authority; when the EU Sea Fisheries Control Agency will start up; the follow up measures that have been taken by him or the British Government in relation to allegations of overfishing and criminality made by him during the passage of the Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33434/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 (No. 8) came into force on 4 April 2006 with the exception of Chapter 5 of Part 2, the establishment and functions of the independent statutory Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, which will come into operation on 1 January 2007 in accordance with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (Establishment Day) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 376 of 2006).

The EU's Community Fisheries Control Agency will commence operations on 1 January 2007. An Executive Director was appointed earlier this year.

Serious allegations were brought to the attention of the Ministers in the summer of 2004 and subsequently were formally referred to An Garda Síochána for investigation. Those investigations are solely a matter for An Garda Síochána.

Following reporting by the United Kingdom authorities to the EU Commission of undeclared landings of mackerel by Irish vessels into Scotland in 2005, the EU Commission deducted 6,578 tonnes from Ireland's 2006 mackerel quota under Commission Regulation 742/2006. Following extensive consultations and having considered all the issues involved and options available in the context of Ireland's obligations under the Common Fisheries Policy, I decided that deductions will be applied to the allocations of those vessel owners in respect of whom I am satisfied, following full consideration of representations made to me by the vessels owners identified, have breached Community regulations and landed undeclared mackerel.

Discussions are ongoing with the EU Commission in relation to the methodology, scaling and timing of deductions in respect of undeclared landings in the period 2001-2004 as indicated as a result of the UK investigations. The matter of addressing any reductions to Ireland's future mackerel quota to address the reported undeclared illegal landings in the period 2001-2004 will fall for consideration at a future date.