Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
904. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline all meetings held between his Department and the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022, including the dates, attendees and purpose of each meeting in tabular form. [9811/22]
View answerAs part of the ongoing and necessary working relationships, officials at all levels of my Department discuss a range of matters on a regular and routine basis with officials from the three marine agencies; Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Marine Institute (MI) in relation to a variety of ongoing issues.
Under the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction, Act 2006, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is independent in the exercise of its functions. I am precluded from getting involved in any operational control matters. I may give such general policy direction in writing to the Authority in relation to its functions, which must be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. However, such directions may not be construed as enabling a Minister to exercise any power or control in relation to any individual case or groups of cases with which the Authority is or may be concerned or in relation to the performance in particular circumstances by the Authority of a function assigned to it. Under the Act, the Authority advises me in relation to policy on effective implementation of sea fisheries law and food safety law and provides assistance and information to me in relation to the remit of the Authority.
I am responsible as Minister for corporate governance oversight of the SFPA in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, which involves regular meetings from a corporate governance perspective. A list of high level Corporate Governance Oversight meetings which took place between my Department and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority from 2020-22 is attached. In accordance with the responsibilities set down in the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, my Department interacts regularly with the SFPA, including meeting the Authority from time to time on a range of issues and in particular over the period specified in relation to the implementation of the EU /UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement and Ireland's response to the EU Commission's Decision in July 2019 to carry out an Administrative Inquiry under Article 102(2) of the EU Control Regulation 1224/2009.
|
Year |
Meeting Title |
Date |
Purpose |
|
2020 |
Meeting 1/20 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
14/02/2020 |
Oversight of compliance by SFPA with provisions of Code of Practice (COP) for Corporate Governance of State Bodies 2016. |
|
Meeting 2/20 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
02/06/2020 |
As above. |
|
|
Meeting 3/20 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
11/11/2020 |
As above. |
|
|
Separate Meeting(s) High Level Corporate Governance (attended by Secretary General) High Level Corporate Governance (chaired by Minister) |
06/04/2020 30/07/2020 |
As above As above |
|
|
2021 |
Meeting 1 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
16/03/2021 |
As above |
|
Meeting 2/21 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
15/07/2021 |
As above |
|
|
Meeting 3/21 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
17/11/2021 |
As above |
|
|
Separate High Level Corporate Governance Meeting(s) *Attended by Minister **Attended by Minister and Secretary General |
17/02/2021* 22/04/2021** |
As above As above |
|
|
2022 |
Meeting 1/22 High Level Corporate Governance (Chaired by Assistant Secretary General) |
Scheduled for 10/3/2022 |
As above |
|
Separate Meeting(s) High Level Corporate Governance Meeting(s)with Minister & Sec Gen |
tba |
