Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Nov 1992

Vol. 424 No. 8

Written Answers. - Common Fisheries Policy Review.

Joseph Doyle

Ceist:

56 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for the Marine the objectives, if any, he has in the negotiations at the Council of Ministers on the Review of the Common Fisheries Policy; and if they include getting an increase in Ireland's fish quota.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

59 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Marine the progress, if any, which has been achieved in the Common Fisheries Policy Review to facilitate the development of the Irish fishing industry to its full potential.

Minister for the Marine (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 59 together.

I regard the current review of the Common Fisheries Policy to be of paramount importance to the Irish fishing industry. It provides an opportunity whereby the imbalance in the application of the policy as it applies to Ireland can be addressed.

For the purposes of the review I have targeted four key objectives: (a) increase in allocations of fish stocks to the Irish region; (b) the adoption of fleet guidelines for the Irish fleet consistent with the allocations of fish stocks made to the Irish region and the adoption of positive structural measures to support the development of the Irish fishing industry; (c) the extension of exclusive coastal zones to 12 miles or the adoption of other measures which would strengthen the protection afforded to inshore fisheries; and (d) the making by the Community of an increased contribution to the costs, including operational costs, of Ireland's fishery control programmes.

At the meeting of the EC Council of Fisheries Ministers last April I made a major submission on these specific matters. My submission was examined at subsequent Councils on 9 June and 19 October as part of the review process and I have taken every opportunity, both at Council and in bilateral contacts with Council colleagues, to strongly press what I regard as our rightful entitlements in relation to the objectives that I have outlined.

Proposals on the future of the CFP, which have been recently circulated by the Commission, are currently being examined. My initial reaction is that they fall considerably short of what would be acceptable to Ireland, as they do not appear to address in any meaningful way the key issues that had been identified in my submission to Council.

At this stage, I would like to assure Deputies that any Commission proposals that fail to take account of the needs of our industry will not be acceptable to me. I will continue, therefore, to forcibly argue Ireland's unique case for special consideration and to press the Commission to make a realistic response to the legitimate demands that I have tabled.