Vol. 577 No. 4
28 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if, as part of the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the EU, he will initiate a complete reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, including a comprehensive review of the terms governing the administration and control of Irish fisheries. [31625/03]
Under the institutional framework governing the European Union, the sole responsibility for initiating proposals or reviews of the type indicated in the Deputy's question rests with the European Commission. It is not a matter on which the Presidency of the Council can seek to progress unilaterally.
As the Deputy was advised in response to a broadly similar question on the Common Fisheries Policy on 7 October this year, the CFP has only recently been reviewed. A new basic regulation was finally agreed at last December's Council, following protracted and difficult negotiations.
The process leading to that reform was lengthy and comprehensive, covering such key areas as access to resources, conservation, control and enforcement, structures and fleet policy. CFP reform spanned a number of years and involved detailed consultation with stakeholders across the European Union. The new basic regulation will govern EU fisheries policy over the next decade and, accordingly, the question of embarking on a new review of the CFP so soon after it has been comprehensively reviewed is not a realistic prospect.
Ireland, with the benefit of detailed input from Irish fishermen, participated in the reform process in a progressive manner and the reform package finally agreed contains many of the recommendations of the national strategy review group. In that respect, it is appropriate that I draw particular attention to an action plan to address the problem of the discarding of juvenile fish catches, stronger control and enforcement, continued recognition of Ireland-s entitlements to additional quotas under the so-called Hague Preferences and new regional advisory councils giving fishermen a strong voice in shaping future fisheries policy at EU level. The regional advisory councils are considered a particular priority and we hope to make very significant progress on this issue during Ireland's EU Presidency next year.
Will the Minister of State concur with the belief among most people involved in the fishing industry that the Common Fisheries Policy has been a disaster for this country, where billions upon billions have been lost both to the industry and the fish processing sector? Many commentators put the loss at €120 billion since 1972. Will the Minister of State and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern, impress on the other EU Ministers that as a small compensation for such radical losses, the Common Fisheries Policy should be radically transformed to guarantee the future survival of the Irish fishing industry? Will the Minister of State agree that the Common Fisheries Policy is in need of the type of radical reforms that were implemented with regard to the Common Agricultural Policy and that this is not being met by the current reform programme which appears to be designed to drive most people involved in fishing out of the business?
Will he agree that while the Fisheries Council claimed last December that its objective was, and I quote: "To allow fishermen to operate under more stable conditions—
It is not in order to quote during Question Time.
Will the Minister of State agree that we are stumbling from one crisis to another? I stress this point in regard to the Irish Box, the limit on fishing days, new licence regulations, etc., right up to today when the Council is proposing further restrictions on Irish fisheries. Will the Minister agree that while the Council claims to be open to proposals from fishermen on conservation and other matters, where such submissions have been made – recently for example, by a group representing those who operate on the Irish Sea – they have been rejected out of hand? Will he agree that from a scientific survey point of view, people within the fishing industry with the relevant experience and track record have an invaluable contribution to make in determining the quantity of the stocks that exist in our waters?
I would inform the Deputy that the reason the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, is not here is that he is attending the December Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels where all the decisions are being made. If he can get as good a deal as last year, when he worked in conjunction with the fishermen, they will be reasonably happy. During the EU Presidency it is important that Ireland uses its influence as much as possible to ensure that the livelihoods of fishermen are protected. The new CFP provides that the interests of each member state are taken into account when it comes to allocations. This is significant and will help protect our interests as a maritime nation for the future.
There is also flexibility within the CFP as regards revisions to allocations. This will allow for possible change in the future. In the context of declining fish stocks such a task is extremely difficult. During the Presidency the Minister has a number of priorities. The establishment of the regional advisory council is important since fishermen will themselves have a direct input. Agreement and implementation of stock recovery programmes is also important as is the development of technical conservation measures as a fisheries management tool, particularly to combat the discarding of juvenile fish and implementation of the new western waters fishery effort regime. The Deputy can be assured that the Minister will be working closely with all of the fishing organisations during the Irish Presidency of the EU to ensure their livelihoods and interests are protected and to achieve as much positive progress as possible for the industry. From 1 January, when the Minister assumes his role, he will try to implement his priority list in this regard during the six months of the Presidency.
Before proceeding I would like to point out that Standing Orders provide that Priority Questions should be completed within 30 minutes. It has taken 47 minutes and that is far too much tolerance.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle is allowing the Deputies too much latitude.
On a point of information, the Minister of State's first reply must have been about 20 minutes long.
Members took a long time with their supplementary questions.
