asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the steps he proposes to take to secure an adequate mackerel quota for the 1986 season.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Mackerel Quota.
27.
The mackerel quota to be allocated to Ireland and other member states in 1986 is being discussed at the Council of Fisheries Ministers currently in progress in Brussels in the overall context of total allowable catches and quotas for 1986. Deputy O'Toole, Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, is attending the Council where he is pressing for an adequate mackerel quota for Ireland. He has already made strong representations to the Commission in the matter during the course of a special visit to Brussels on Monday 9 December 1985.
The Minister of State will be aware that the Commission are proposing to reduce the quota to 62,500 tonnes. Can he give us any indication of what quota we are seeking at present in the negotiations and of what case is being made to substantiate that?
I am well aware of the proposal by the Commission for 60,000 tonnes. Unfortunately, we are all very much aware of that. On the second question, I have already stated that the Minister is pushing for the mackerel quota for the fishermen of this State.
Does the Minister of State realise the seriousness of the situation? If the Commission and the Council go ahead with the proposal to reduce the quota to 62,500 tonnes it will mean financial ruin for many people involved in mackerel fishing and also losses of hundreds of jobs in processing. Can we get some indication from the Minister of State as to what figure the Minister is demanding as our quota for 1986? Is it 80,000 tonnes, 100,000 tonnes? Will he keep in mind the fact that the catch has reduced by 20,000 tonnes in the past two years?
It would be most unwise for me to start pegging figures around and damaging the Minister's prospects. He is over there on the spot. As Deputy Daly knows from being a Minister over there you talk to your colleagues and see what the prospects are. I am not over there and it would be very unwise of me even to mention a figure in this House. We are pushing for the maximum tonnage of mackerel for the fishermen of this State.
The Minister of State said that we should not get increased quotas.
Let me impress on the Minister of State the urgency of the situation. There is total chaos now in the mackerel industry, much of which has been brought about by the actions of the Minister.
That is a statement. We cannot have a discussion.
That is total nonsense.
The implementation of the quotas has been managed by the Department and the Minister. Can we get an indication from the Minister of State that they will take this matter seriously enough? When does he hope to have a decision on it?
The Government are taking this very seriously and every effort is being made to secure the maximum quota and tonnage of mackerel for our fishermen.
Will the Minister of State accept that the whole saga of quotas makes a mockery of the Hague agreement, that we are not getting the rights we were supposed to be guaranteed on that occasion, and that the situation seems to deteriorate from year to year?
I do not accept that. If we had not the Hague agreement our position to day would be much worse.