I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 40 together.
As I have made clear to the House on numerous occasions, I am giving every priority to mounting, through strict enforcement, an effective ban on the illegal activities of flagships and of all fishing vessels irrespective of nationality in the Irish zone.
Our fisheries protection services at sea and on land are co-operating closely to ensure that flagship activities in these waters are rigorously monitored and controlled. As Deputies are aware there are particular enforcement difficulties associated with the activities of flagships. I have been pressing my UK and Spanish colleagues, who have legal responsibilities in this regard, to fully co-operate with us in intensifying their inspection operations and in ongoing liaison and information exchange. I am pleased to say that this approach is now paying dividends. The recent cases taken in the UK courts which resulted in fines totalling £1 million were underpinned by evidence of illegal fishing by the flagships concerned provided by the Department's Sea Fisheries Inspectorate and the Naval Service to the UK authorities.