I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 23, 40 and 42 together.
I will address the understandable concerns expressed by Deputies, first by outlining the terms of the Council Agreement of December 1994 on Iberian integration into the Common Fisheries Policy. Second, I will outline the implementation arrangements which have been subsequently negotiated over the past 12 months and which lay down the ground rules for fishing in our waters from next year as well as giving concrete expression to EU support for Ireland's heavy surveillance costs in monitoring and enforcing the new regime.
The terms of the Agreement reached in December 1994, and particularly in relation to the Irish Box, addressed most of our key concerns about access as well as our demands for effective control and reporting systems. The main elements of the Agreement can be summarised as follows: the total number of Spanish vessels allowed to fish for certain species in Irish waters will continue to be limited to 93 and there must be no increase in total fishing effort; continued recognition of the Irish Box as a sensitive zone; of the 93 vessels, a maximum of 40 named Spanish vessels only will be permitted to fish inside the Irish Box from next year; prior notification by all large fishing vessels on entering and leaving Irish waters and the Irish Box with effect from 1 January 1996; catch reporting on entry and exit with effect from 1 January 1998 at the latest; additional financial support for surveillance costs, with particular recognition of Ireland's heavy surveillance commitments.
There will, therefore, be no additional fishing by foreign boats in Irish waters and no increase in the total number of Spanish boats beyond their existing level. The extent to which named Spanish boats will have access within the Irish Box is very strictly laid down. The entry-exit reporting system will ensure furthermore that our air and sea fisheries protection services will be able to closely monitor activity and target movements in and out of Irish fishing zones. It should provide a very full picture of which boats are operating where in Irish fishing grounds at any given time. In other words, it will be considerably more difficult for boats of any nationality to engage in illegal fishing in our waters. The reporting system will back up, in a major way, our aerial and sea going surveillance capability. An additional deterrent is the tough regime of Irish penalties for fishery offences. These are the highest in Europe and reflect our determination to ensure that all vessels fishing in Irish waters comply with the rules.
The detailed ground rules for the additional reporting, monitoring and control systems from next year were agreed at the Fisheries Council last month. The Council also agreed the overall envelope and terms of a new five year financial aid package for fisheries surveillance to back up and enforce those systems. In recognition of our very heavy surveillance costs, I secured the Council's agreement to a unique budgetline for Ireland of over £12 million over five years to meet the running costs of fisheries surveillance. We will also benefit, with a higher rate of EU aid than other member states, under the overall package for capital investment. These costs have to be incurred in any event by virtue of our EU responsibilities and to protect Irish fish stocks. It was all the more improtant, therefore, to ensure that maximum EU financial support for these additional resources is available and is availed of.
Negotiations on the package of specific spending proposals for 1996 and future years will now get under way with the Commission and I will put proposals in this regard to Government shortly. Essentially my objective is to secure, at minimum cost, the level of capital and operational resources identified as necessary to maximise our sea and landbased fisheries surveillance programmes and that these resources are applied efficiently and effectively to the considerable challenge ahead. I would not minimise the challenge involved in ensuring the conservation and protection of the Irish fisheries resource. The framework and the safeguards are there and I am committed to delivering on implementation of the new control and monitoring regime in the interests of our fisheries and of the fishing industry.