asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he intends to open the Celtic Sea to fishermen based in south-east Ireland in the immediate future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have already stated in the House on a number of occasions that the question of reopening the Celtic Sea herring fishery is a matter for decision by the Council of Fishery Ministers of the EEC. I have been persistently pressing for a limited opening and the Council has now before it a proposal which would allow local drift-net fishermen to catch up to 1,000 tonnes of herring in 1981 subject to a licensing system. A decision on this will only be taken in conjunction with a general agreement on a common fisheries policy, in connection with which further talks will be held on 9 and 10 March 1981.

While I cannot claim to be fully satisfied with the Celtic Sea proposal, it should be acknowledged as a significant improvement on the situation obtaining hitherto in that there is now recognition of the social and economic effects of the continued closure of the fishery.

According to recent press reports the Minister failed to get even this limited opening of the Celtic Sea and I should like to know if the Minister is aware of the grave hardship being caused to the owners of skiffs in the south east. Is the Minister aware that such people have been deprived of a living for the past three years without any compensation from the State or any effort made by the Government to get the Celtic Sea reopened?

I do not accept that an effort has not been made by the Government. The progress being made is an improvement on the existing situation.

Is the Minister aware that it was reported in the newspapers recently that the Council of Ministers will not accede to Ireland's request to reopen the Celtic Sea?

I am not so aware.

Will the Minister guarantee the fishermen in question, if they are allowed a limited amount of fishing — especially drift-net fishing — that they can sell their herring, which is not the case at present?

I do not have any comment to make on that.

With the permission of the Chair, I wish to raise the subject matter of this question on the Adjournment.

May I ask the Minister a question?

No, I have allowed sufficient supplementaries on this question. Ceist 41.

I want to ask a question about this serious business in relation to the Celtic Sea.

The Minister should obey the Chair and answer the next question.

Is the Minister replying to the next question? It cannot be heard and, therefore, there is no point in him reading it out.

I have called on the Minister to reply to Ceist 41.

There is little point in having Question Time if Members are not allowed to put supplementary questions to the Minister. Is the Chair trying to protect the Minister of State because the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry is not present?