Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 December 2017
199. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 361 of 14 November 2017, if his Department, the SFPA or the Naval Service intervened or gave advice on the trawler seen in Wexford Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52083/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the monitoring and control of fishing vessels within Ireland’s Exclusive Fisheries Zone are matters for the Irish control authorities. Under the Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006, all operational issues of this nature concerning sea-fisheries control are, as a matter of law, exclusively for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) and the Naval Service. I am precluded from getting involved in operational matters including in relation to law enforcement.
In this context I can inform the Deputy accordingly that my Department did not intervene or give advice in the manner referred to by him. I would suggest that the Deputy contact the control authorities directly with any queries he may have in this regard.
