Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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567. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of bilateral meetings he has had with his other European ministerial colleagues regarding fishing quotas and safeguarding Irish fishing interests ahead of the December 2017 Council of Fisheries ministers meetings. [53978/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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573. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of bilateral meetings he has had with other European ministers in his portfolio regarding fishing quotas and safeguarding Irish fishing interests ahead of the December 2017 Council of Fisheries Ministers meetings. [53984/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 573 together.

I have had bilateral meetings with my counterparts in Denmark, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Germany and Spain.  These were focused on the immediate issues arising in relation to TACs and quotas and to a large extent on the issues relating to BREXIT.  In addition, I have engaged in a series of trilateral meetings with the Commission and the Estonian Presidency. There have also been a number of bilateral meetings at official level in the months preceding the Council.

In order to inform negotiations at the December Fisheries Council, I also had an assessment of the impacts of the Commission proposal for TACs and quotas for 2018 undertaken.  An open consultation process was also put in place in order to inform and facilitate these deliberations, during which stakeholders were invited to submit their comments and observations on the Commission proposal for fishing opportunities for 2018.  The specific details of the Commission's proposal and the impact of those for Ireland were then laid before the Dáil in advance of the December Council. 

My primary aim was to achieve a result that protected the interests of the Irish fishing industry, while also respecting the available scientific advice for stocks of vital importance to our fleet.  I am pleased that we have managed to secure a good deal for Irish fishermen (a total package of fish quotas worth €266 million and more stocks at maximum sustainable yield) at this year's EU Fisheries Council that will support our fishing industry for the coming year and continue to rebuild our fish stocks which underpin the future of our industry and our coastal communities.