I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 49 together.
As I 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 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 flagship activities in these waters are rigorously monitored and controlled. 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. This approach is now paying dividends. The success of this joint approach sends a clear signal that illegal fishing will not be tolerated and that the member states concerned are increasingly prepared to work together to ensure compliance with the rules. I also took the opportunity at my recent meeting with the Spanish Minister for Fisheries to put in place new arrangements for bilateral co-operation on control and enforcement. These measures include regular contacts between both inspection services and visits by Irish inspectors to Spain.
I will continue to take a strong line on the need for a strong Europe wide, strictly enforced, fisheries control regime, as the viability of the resource and the interests of the Irish fishing fleet depend on compliance by all fishermen with the rules. Ireland has been to the forefront in supporting important new developments in the field of fisheries control such as satellite monitoring and real time catch reporting. The Fisheries Council in December 1998 agreed on measures to improve control and enforcement. These measures, which come into force on 1 July, will help to tighten up on the monitoring and inspection of flagships. These new measures, which I pushed for strongly at Council, will help create the much needed level playing field in fisheries control.