Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on the future reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37533/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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An informal discussion to mark the start of the debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy was held with Fisheries Ministers on the margins of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the 29th September 2008. The Common Fisheries Policy was formally established in 1983, and has since then been subject to revision every ten years. The latest Reform was agreed in 2002, and is up for review in 2012 at the latest. Our aim is for a Common Fisheries Policy which results in a strong, sustainable and profitable seafood industry and, most importantly, which provides economic activity for our coastal communities, as set down for Ireland in the Cawley Strategy — Steering A New Course.

I am concerned that there is some pressure at this early stage in the debate for a change in the policy that would promote an Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) regime at European level. l will not support such a policy which promotes the concentration of activity and benefits in the hands of a small number of large companies. Our aim is for a policy which maximises the development of all our coastal communities and for this reason it is vital that quotas and their management are retained under national competence and not moved to a market based mechanism.

This debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy is at a very early stage. The Commission will bring forward a Green Paper for discussion next year. I will continue to work closely with the FIF (Federation of Irish Fishermen) to progress all matters of importance to the Irish fishing industry and have our national priorities taken on board as far as possible in the discussion on the Reform of the CFP following the publication of the Green Paper.