Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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77. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts being made to safeguard the fishing sector in the context of the work of the Barnier task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23784/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The potential impact of Brexit is the biggest challenge facing the Irish fishing industry with a real danger of loss of access to key fishing grounds and potential loss of fish quota shares. That is why the fishing sector has been a high priority for Ireland throughout the negotiations, and will continue to be so for this Government.  I am determined to ensure that fisheries remain high on the Brexit agenda in the EU and that the interests of Ireland's fishing communities are fully safeguarded.

My continued overall objective is to ensure that fisheries are fully taken account of in the negotiations on the framework for a future EU-UK relationship.  Ireland’s key priorities in this regard will be maintenance of current access to fishing grounds in the UK zone and protection of Ireland’s existing quota shares. I am satisfied that, thanks to our ongoing close engagement with Michel Barnier and the Task Force, as well as other relevant Member States,  these priorities are fully reflected in the future relationship guidelines and in the transition arrangements as part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

The progress achieved to date has been welcomed by the Irish fishing industry and the importance attached to the sector by this Government was clearly demonstrated last month with a meeting between industry representatives, An Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and myself. In addition, the Tánaiste and I arranged for the sector to express their concerns directly to Michel Barnier during his recent visit to Dundalk.