I have received apologies from Senator Niall Blaney, who has nominated Senator Dee Ryan to substitute for him.
Before we proceed, I have a few housekeeping matters to go through. In accordance with Standing Orders, I am required to, and I wish to, make the following declaration. Dearbhaím go sollúnta go ndéanfaidh mé, go cuí agus go dílis agus a mhéid is eol agus is cumas dom, oifig Chathaoirleach an Chomchoiste um Iascach agus Gnóthaí Muirí a fheidhmiú gan scáth gan fabhar, na rialacha mar atá siad leagtha síos ag an Teach seo a chur i bhfeidhm go cothrom neamhchlaonta, ord a choimeád agus cearta agus pribhléidí comhaltaí a chaomhnú de réir an Bhunreachta agus mBuan-Orduithe. I do solemnly declare that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my knowledge and ability, execute the office of Cathaoirleach of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs without fear or favour, apply the rules as laid down by the House in an impartial and fair manner, maintain order and uphold the rights and privileges of members in accordance with the Constitution and Standing Orders. Gabhaim buíochas le comhaltaí as ucht a gcuid tacaíochta agus cabhrach leis sin. I would welcome members' co-operation and assistance with the onerous duty I take on.
I remind members of the constitutional requirement that those who participate in public meetings must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex. Members of the committee attending remotely must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. This is due to the constitutional requirement, which I think most members will be aware of already, that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, and that is Teach Laighean, Leinster House. I ask any member participating via Teams - I do not think we have any members participating via Teams now but this applies across the board - to confirm, prior to making a contribution to the meeting, they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus. It will be my practice while calling on a member attending a meeting via MS Teams to confirm they are on the precincts but it will be, ultimately, the responsibility of the member.
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that may be regarded as damaging to the good name of a person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, I will direct them to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction. We have privileges here and it is important we actualise those privileges with responsibility.
Is mór an onóir dom fáiltiú a chur roimh comhaltaí chuig an gcéad cruinniú seo de chuid an Chomhchoiste um Iascach agus Gnóthaí Muirí. Is coiste nua é seo agus tá mé fíorbhuíoch as an muinín atá léirithe ionam le mo cheapachán mar Chathaoirleach an choiste. Tá mé ag tnúth le bheith ag obair go dlúth leis na gcomhaltaí ar fad sna míonna agus blianta amach romhainn. It is a privilege to welcome members of both Houses of the Oireachtas to the inaugural meeting of the committee. This is a new committee and we have an opportunity to shape its work in a progressive way. I want to acknowledge the weight of responsibility we carry. This is a very important committee and I look forward to working with each member.
I will say a few words to outline my vision and where we are coming from. I had an opportunity to meet with many of the Teachtaí Dála. I have not had a chance to meet with the Seanadóirí yet, but I intend to engage with them in this committee and outside the committee room.
I come from a coastal community in west Waterford. From the Suir estuary in Dunmore East in the east of the county to Boatstrand in the middle and Heilbhic and Ardmore in the west, we in Waterford have a rich coastline, maritime heritage and huge potential offshore. This is true right around the coast of our island nation. Our fishing harbours and seafood sector need real and sustained investment. This committee will be the platform to ensure that Government delivers on that. This committee will fight for fairness, end neglect as I see it, advocate for improvements in dredging to our harbours, including Cé Heilbhic san áireamh, and to help shape a better future for all our coastal communities.
I have connections to the fishing industry on both sides of my family, on the south and east coasts in particular. As a teenager, I worked on inshore and offshore fishing boats. I know first-hand the hardship, skill and risk involved in earning a living from the sea. Fishing is not just an industry for the people who engage in it. It is a way of life. For generations the seas have provided sustenance and employment to people and communities that had little else from which to take sustenance. Too often, the concerns of our coastal and island communities have been treated as peripheral, both geographically and in policy and salience.
The fishing sector has faced decades of neglect, mismanagement, underinvestment and repeated policy failures that have held back, rather than supported, communities. Those of us who attended the briefing with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, heard some of that coming through in his presentation, and an acknowledgement of that. This committee has a chance to point the Government, the State and the agencies in the right direction. I believe this committee must be a strong and determined voice for the fishing community, islanders, workers in the maritime sector and communities in our coastal towns and villages. We are here to listen, give voice, ask hard questions and deliver changes through pointing out policy innovations that can help the people we are privileged to represent. That means challenging the Government when necessary, scrutinising its policy and the policy of the European Union, holding agencies to account and pushing for legislation that is proportionate and forward looking. Above all else, we need to push for fair quota allocations and an assertive national policy on fisheries and maritime affairs.
As Chair, my vision is for a committee that is active, progressive and outward looking, one that engages directly with the people affected by policy decisions, that visits our harbours and islands, that shines a light on the impact of EU quota allocations, regulatory overreach, poor enforcement and a lack of strategic investment. We must support diversification of coastal economies and promote long-term sustainable development in the marine industries. That means investing in our seafood processing sector. It means upgrading port infrastructure and dredging our harbours. It means ensuring coastal communities are not left behind in the push for offshore renewable energy but, rather, that their voices are heard, their concerns are acknowledged and they are provided with the opportunity to be partners. We must also ensure proper oversight of environmental impacts, pollution, inadequate sewage systems in our coastal towns and destructive fishing methods employed by super trawlers. We must support our rescue services, the Coast Guard, the Naval Service and the voluntary lifeboat crews who put to sea in all weathers to protect life and limb.
I hope this committee will become a place where solutions are found and not just where problems are described and ventilated, a space for meaningful non-partisan work that supports small boat operators as much as large vessels, that strengthens environmental protection while defending coastal livelihoods, and that recognises the full social, cultural and economic value of Ireland's relationship with the sea and our vast marine resource. Is í m'fhís mar Chathaoirleach an choiste seo ná guth láidir a thabhairt do phobail chósta agus oileánda na tíre, ó Bhaile Chaisleáin Bhéarra i gCorcaigh go dtí Ceann Chlochair, na Cealla Beaga agus an Dún Mór. Caithfimid deireadh a chur leis an neamhaird. Caithfimid cluas éisteachta a thabhairt dár bpobail cois cósta, infheistíocht cheart a dhéanamh sna céanna, sna próisis bia mara agus in earnáil na tarrthála. Mar Theachta ó Phort Láirge, táim tiomanta do bheith i mbun gnímh ar son ár bpobal cósta.
As I said, we have an opportunity to do real and meaningful work and to listen, investigate, advocate and deliver. I intend to make full use of this forum and I encourage members to make use of it, as I have no doubt they will, to hold the Government and agencies to account, to push for urgent investment and interventions, to help shape the policies that will support our coastal and fishing communities, not just to survive but to thrive. Go n-éirí an t-ádh leis na baill go léir. Táim fíorbhuíoch díobh as a bheith anseo i mo theannta inniu.
I will now open the floor to comments, if anybody has any at this juncture. I remind members that we are in public session. Senator Craughwell and Deputy Gallagher have indicated that they wish to comment.
