I want some clarification, particularly in relation to Greenland's free access to Community markets. Particularly when we have great difficulty in selling our fish in Community markets, it is ludicrous that the Ministers for Fisheries and Foreign Affairs should have agreed to this. Greenlanders have the better of both sides — they can get out of their membership or associate membership and still have free access to EC markets which are over supplied at the moment. This will have a big effect on the fishing industry here. Already we are seriously affected by the Spanish acces-º sion, and we have to contend with the reduction of quotas. Our boats can never go to Greenland to take advantage of the benefits the Minister referred to because the Community will not give grants to boats in excess of 130 feet. In order to fish those waters we would require much larger boats, but Community regulations are preventing us from investing in such boats. I am concerned because the Minister for Fisheries does not appear to have become sufficiently involved in this. That Minister has not been here today to participate in the debate and I hope he will display greater interest so that the fishing industry will not be affected as a result of this Bill.
European Communities (Amendment) Bill, 1984 [Seanad] Committee and Final Stages.
I came in late and I should like if the Minister would deal specifically with North Atlantic salmon. It is entirely a matter for the people of Greenland to decide whether to depart from the Community. We must respect them for their decision. Greenlanders are part of the realm of Denmark. This gives us an opportunity — the Minister will join with me in this — to pay a tribute to the outgoing Danish Ambassador. He has represented his country with great honour and dignity in the past seven years. He has gone back to his homeland and it is proper that we should pay a tribute to him as an excellent representative here of his country. His queen and Government can be proud of him for the manner in which he upheld the integrity of his nation. He would have been the doyen of the Diplomatic Corps here if it were not for the continued incumbency of the Papal Nuncio, who remains the doyen. As a junior Minister in the Department of Foreign Affairs I had a relatively long association with the departed Ambassador for Denmark and I express our gratitude and appreciation not only of the Ambassador's work here but of the association between Denmark and Ireland.
I want to emphasise the seriousness of our problem in relation to the salmon fisheries. The Minister may not be fully familiar with the details of the arrangements for the control of salmon fishing and the agreement between the Canadians, the EC and ourselves. It is important to know about the salmon the Greenlanders are fishing. There have been numerous scientific reports indicating that enormous damage is being done to salmon stocks in that area. It is important that the Minister ensures that the loose arrangements outlined this afternoon are tightened up by the Community so that salmon fishing by the Faroese and Greenlanders in that area is eliminated. Such people never had a tradition of salmon fishing there. In the new position I believe the opposite will be the case and that is why I am anxious that this matter is brought to the notice of the Minister for Fisheries. He should be asked to take action in that regard.
I should like to point out to members that the Minister may make one contribution only on Fifth Stage. If no other Member wishes to contribute I will call upon the Minister to reply.
Deputies David Andrews and Daly referred to the International Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic and I accept the view of Deputy Daly that I am not fully familiar with the details of it. I undertake to bring the remarks made by the Deputies to the attention of the Minister for Fisheries. I should like to point out that the Greenland authorities have agreed to regulate their salmon fishing as if they were bound by the convention. Deputy Daly feels that that is a little loose. I accept that it would be better if they were part of the convention. I will discuss the matter with the Minister for Fisheries to see if we can do anything in that regard. If they are not going to have in the future the safety net of the European Community, and they are going to be dependent on fishing, I believe they will be more conservation conscious rather than less.
Deputy Gallagher spoke about competition from Greenland. I do not believe that they will be in direct competition because the species of fish we catch and sell in the Community is different. However, if they were full members of the Community they could continue to increase their sales within the Community but, most likely, they will not be allowed to do that now. They would be allowed to sell into the Community at their existing level and not at an increased level. Therefore, there is less danger now than there was in the past. I am sorry that the Greenlanders have decided to leave the Community. It is a pity. I endorse everything Deputy Andrews said about the former Ambassador from Denmark to this country. I will be happy to convey the Deputy's remarks to him.