Fleet tonnage and landing targets
McCoy asked how the fleet-tonnage reduction requirement could align with much higher landing targets. The Minister deferred a full answer, citing a previous government’s agreed tonnage level.
Given that there is a directive from the EC to reduce the tonnage of Irish boats by 3 per cent over the 1984 level and taking into account that the level has grown since 1984, how does the Minister reconcile that with the aim of landing almost double the catch in the next three years?
Comment on this
There is a question on that subject on the Order Paper today but if the Deputy wishes I can inform him that in 1983 the Coalition had agreed to a tonnage of 32,000 tonnes, which was scandalous. It was a political decision taken at that time but it might be wiser to answer that question in context.