Madeleine Taylor-Quinn
Ceist:1 Mrs. Taylor-Quinn asked the Minister for the Marine if he is considering the establishment of a licensing authority for the purpose of allocating fishing boat licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Sea Fishing Licences.
Brian O'Shea
Ceist:14 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Irish Fishermen's Organisation rejected the notion of a Regional Fishery Board type of structure in respect of the licensing of sea fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Eric J. Byrne
Ceist:59 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for the Marine if it is intended to establish an independent licensing authority for the allocation of sea fishing licences, as requested by the Irish Fishermen's Organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
(Limerick West): I propose to take Questions Nos 1, 14 and 59 together.
Recurring themes of submissions made to the Licensing Review Group were that explicit policy criteria for the issue of licences should be set and that these criteria should be administered by an independent authority.
The Licensing Review Group have addressed this issue and I will be dealing with it when I come to make an announcement on the adoption of a new licensing policy. I wish to assure the Deputy that I will be anxious to ensure the adoption of a procedure which is seen to be fair as between all applicants.
Is the Minister not in a position at this time to give the House the exact details of his proposed announcement? Is he not concerned by the fact that there are hundreds of people around Ireland at the moment who have put in applications to the Department, and many others who are considering submitting applications so that they can pursue a career in fishing? The situation appears to be that there is a total standstill within the Department and that no licences are issuing at present. The result is that there are many people around the country who are hoping to make a livelihood in the fishing industry but who are being deterred by bureaucracy and are, consequently, confused. Could the Minster tell the House at this time what the registered GRT is with the commission; the problems there are between the Irish Government and the Commission in relation to this; and if, in fact, he will be in a position at all to issue licences under the present system?
(Limerick West): I do not accept that there is an undue delay. We have only had the report for a short while and it is being examined both by the Minister and myself and by officials in my Department. We hope, after due consideration, to consider the question of publication and this will be arrived at very shortly.
I would also like to remind the House and the Deputy that the management of fisheries, and particularly the conditions under which new entrants will be allowed, raised problems of equity and efficiency. As the Deputy knows, there are conflicting objectives with stocks now under pressure. An open door policy is no longer possible. It is important at this stage to find a balance between protecting the livelihood of those already in the industry and those new entrants who could add to the growth of the industry. Considering those complex questions, there is not an unduly long delay in coming to a decision in publishing the report.
Publishing the report is one thing but can the Minister, at this point, offer any hope to the hundreds of people who are seeking a licence in order to pursue a livelihood at fishing and would he tell this House if, in fact, he is not in a position to issue any licences because of the GRT being limited by the Commission and that in order to issue a licence certain boats would have to be decommissioned? Is that the position?
(Limerick West): I do not accept that at all. If the Deputy will put down a separate question, I will give her details of the GRT. As I said, there are conflicting objectives. Stocks are now under pressure and we have to protect the livelihood of the existing fishermen and also create a balance whereby new applicants can come into the industry. All those issues are being addressed by the Minister and me and the officials in my Department and we hope to be in a position very soon to announce the full details.