asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if any application has been made to the EEC for financial assistance to purchase ships for fishery protection; and if any arrangements have been made with EEC partners in relation to surveillance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishery Protection.
17.
As indicated in reply to a question on 27th January, the Foreign Ministers of the Community agreed at their meeting in The Hague on 30th October, 1976, that protection and control of the fishing zone off Ireland must not result, because of the size of that zone, in a charge which would be disproportionate to the volume of the Community fish resources which can be exploited in that zone by Irish fishermen. The Ministers agreed that the implementation of available means of surveillance or those to be foreseen must be accompanied by appropriate measures to ensure that the charges which arise will be shared equitably.
Since then discussions have taken place between Irish officials and representatives of the Commission regarding the equitable sharing of the cost of fishery protection, and information has been furnished by us on the additional patrol resources which will be necessary in the short and long term and the costs involved. The position now is that proposals are awaited from the Commission for an implementing scheme to give effect to The Hague agreement. The question of making formal application for financial assistance does not, therefore, yet arise.
With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, no arrangements have been made with any other country in relation to surveillance of Irish fishery waters.
Can the Minister indicate, if any arrangements have been made in relation to surveillance, how it happens that British naval vessels and Nimrod aircraft are relaying information through the Department of Foreign Affairs to Irish fishery protection vessels?
I have already answered that in reply to the previous question.
Either arrangements have been made or they have not. The Minister indicated in the course of his reply that arrangements have not been made. In reply to a supplementary question, however, he indicated that arrangements exist. Can the Minister tell us whether arrangements exist or whether there are no arrangements with our EEC partners?
I am sorry the Deputy has difficulty in understanding the simple point involved. There are areas of jurisdiction which overlap and in respect of those areas the governments concerned provide information to each other in respect of third parties whose vessels are infringing.
Is it true that information from British naval vessels and aircraft is being relayed through the Minister's Department to fishery vessels?
I am not aware of whether such information has been made available but, in respect of areas in dispute, such information, if it arose, would be made available.
Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Fisheries indicated that information was being relayed through the Department of Foreign Affairs and will the Minister now confirm whether or not this is correct?
We are having repetition now of the previous question.
I am not aware what particular contacts have taken place and if the Deputy wants to know on how many occasions information has been relayed, he will have to put down a question.
Apparently the Minister does not know what is happening in his own Department, if the Minister for Fisheries is right. If the Minister for Foreign Affairs is correct, then the Minister for Fisheries does not know what he is talking about. Could the Minister clarify the situation so that we will know if they are speaking within the orbit of collective responsibility or has the Minister for Fisheries a special right in relation to assessment to his Department and, indeed, other Departments?
The only reply I can offer to Deputy Dowling is to say he does not know what he is talking about.
Did I understand the Minister to say that fishery protection would be shared equitably between the member states and is the Minister saying that no definite arrangement has yet been made in relation to how fishery protection will be fixed between the EEC and ourselves?
We put forward our estimates of the cost involved and the needs of fishery protection and then it is a matter for the Commission to propose means by which the decision of the Council of Ministers of 30th October can be implemented and we are awaiting proposals from the Commission, the Commission having taken account of the information we submitted.
Would the Minister explain then how his colleague, the Minister for Fisheries, stated recently in a radio interview that the EEC were prepared to pay two-thirds of the cost of fishery protection for this country?
The situation is that the agreement on equitable arrangements was reached on 30th October. The implementation of it in detail has yet to be accomplished.
Does that mean two-thirds?