Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be in a position to submit, to the EU Commission, his position in relation to the reform of the common fisheries policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43438/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union which was first put in place in 1983 and has been subject to reviews every 10 years, the most recent was in 2002 and the next is formally scheduled for 2012.

On 21 April 2009 The European Commission published a Green Paper on the latest reform of the CFP in order to launch a consultation with Member States and stakeholders and to initiate a broad public debate on the future CFP reform. A summary of this consultation process will be published in 2010. It will be followed by a legislative proposal to the Council and the European Parliament to be adopted in 2011, with a view to its entering into force in 2012. It is clear that every aspect of the CFP is up for review and will require detailed attention.

An exchange of views on the Green Paper took place at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the 25 May 2009. Indeed a further informal discussion was engaged in at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council last week so this is an ongoing process. I welcome the Commissions Green Paper on the reform of the CFP and acknowledge the importance of the process we are embarking on, as it will culminate in the shaping of the strategic blueprint for the European fishing industry for the next decade.

In the current economic climate, we need a policy that both simplifies and reduces the administrative burden while at the same time strengthens and supports the industry's capacity to maximise employment in coastal communities dependant on fishing. This will be a key objective for Ireland. In addition we will be pursuing initiatives that will deliver and sustain jobs in coastal communities rather than those that promote the concentration of wealth and delivery of excessive profits for a few big international businesses. I support a system which maintains strong economic links between national quotas and the traditional fishing communities which these quotas were allocated to assist. This will be a key area for Ireland in the forthcoming discussions on the CFP. It is critical that we in Ireland have a broad and in depth review of the policy taking account of the views of all interested stakeholders. The CFP review has been on the agenda at a number of formal and informal meetings with industry. It has always been my clear intention that the review process in Ireland would be an all inclusive one, facilitating the exchange of views from all interested parties.

Back in May, Minister Killeen appointed Dr. Noel Cawley to oversee consultations with Irish stakeholders on the reform of the CFP. Advertisements were placed in national and relevant fishing newspapers seeking submissions from interested parties for review by Dr. Cawley. Minister Killeen, Dr. Cawley and my Department have been involved in a series of consultations with various fishing organisations around the country over the last few months, in an effort to formulate Ireland's national position.

The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) held a conference in Dublin on the CFP Review in Dublin on Friday the 9th of October. This seminar brought together a large gathering of fishermen from all around the country to listen to contributions from a broad range of experts on the field of fisheries. The FIF have pursued its own process to develop its position on the matter, and the result of their deliberations will also feed into Dr. Cawley's work programme and the formulation of Ireland's position.

All of the submissions received by Dr. Noel Cawley will now have to be evaluated in order to compile a detailed and informed submission to the EU Commission by the end of the year or by the latest very early in the New Year. Under the planned EU timetable for the review, a summary of the consultation process will be published in 2010. It will be followed by a legislative proposal to the Council and the European Parliament to be adopted in 2011, with a view to its entering into force in 2012.