I want to ask the Minister a question arising out of the meeting on 3 and 4 October. Did he raise with his colleagues the question of the box north of areas 6A, that is off the north coast of Donegal and the west coast of Scotland? There is an area there where our boats are not allowed to fish. I ask the Minister to raise at that meeting the question of allowing us to fish in that box. Heretofore we were allowed to fish there, with the consequence that our season started a month earlier. If the season this year had started a month earlier, we would possibly be £1 million better off with the refunds from Europe.

The Deputy's use of the word "heretofore" may be open to misinterpretation. Under the EEC Common Fisheries Policy Agreement — and the Deputy's colleague, Deputy Daly is aware of this — despite valiant attempts by him, and in succession by me, we failed to be allowed to continue to fish in the area referred to by the Deputy. We did not have much ground to stand on in that the period during which we fished these waters prior to the agreement was only three years, so we had not built up a long historic tradition of fishing there.

This is an important matter for us.

I know it is important, but we cannot spend all day on this question.

If the Minister could put this question down for that meeting, it would be a good day's work for the country.

We would probably want a day to do the days' work and we shall have to get another occasion.

I am just trying to get the Minister to assert a historic right with regard to fishing in this area during the month of October and to make an effort.

It would suit me fine if I could say yes to that.

I am not asking the Minister to.

I am being brutally honest in saying that this provision forms part of the agreed Common Fisheries Policy.

Will the Minister be raising it at the next meeting?

Deputy, I am passing on to the next question.

I will raise it, but I can give no guarantee. There is a very slim hope, indeed, but I do not want to be told in six months' time that I failed. I am warning the Deputies as of now that it is part of the overall agreement and any derogation from that will cause severe problems.

It is a tight rope, but if the Deputy falls into the water we will rescue him.