asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he intends to make any appointments of members to the EEC Fishery Committee in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Fisheries Committee.
76.
I assume the Deputy is referring to the EEC Advisory Committee on Fisheries. The appointment of members of this committee is a matter for the EEC Commission and one in which I have no function.
I am surprised to hear that the Minister has no function. I understand that the people on this committee were appointed either by himself or by his Department.
No. This was set up by the EEC in February 1971 and it was revised in October 1973 when the new members came into the Community and the Minister has no function whatsoever in regard to the appointment of members.
Is the Minister aware that there are no representatives of Irish fishermen on the committee referred to in his answer and that they are not happy with that situation?
I would be surprised if that was correct because I know of no group of people with as many organisations catering for them as the Irish fishermen.
They are not represented in the EEC Commission and that is their objection.
Who makes the appointments to this EEC Advisory Committee on Fisheries?
Members of the committee are appointed by the Commission when they get proposals from trade workers' organisations set up at Community level, producers, co-operatives, credit institutions, trade industries, consumer advisory committees, and for every seat that is to be filled these bodies put forward the names of two candidates of different nationalities and they are the people who make the recommendations to the Commission.
Who comes up with the names of these different people?
The producers and the co-operative organisations, credit institutions, trade industries and consumer advisory committees in the different countries send the names to the Commission.
There is one further matter.
The Minister has already said he has no function in the matter.
The Minister has stated that he has absolutely no function in the matter. Do the names come through the Minister's Department?
No.
Has the Minister nothing in the wide world to do with this at all?
I have as much interest in it as the Deputy would have.
Does the Minister get the names before they are sanctioned?
I do not think so. They have not come before me in my time in the Department.