I thank the Dáil for scheduling this question-and-answer session. It is really important fisheries gets a strong airing here and in the committee. I always welcome the opportunity to do that and indeed I specifically requested we not have statements but statements, questions and answers because it is important to have the opportunity to discuss any of the key issues raised on the floor of the Dáil in order that they get discussed and teased out comprehensively.

As we know, the outcome of the Brexit negotiations had significant impact on fisheries sector and this is something the Government has recognised. We obviously worked hard to get the best outcome we possibly could but fishing undoubtedly took a hit with 15% of our quota impacted as a result of the Brexit negotiations. Coming out of that, I engaged comprehensively with the fishing sector to respond to that in respect of both working at European level to try to improve our situation with regard to quota and of pulling all the sector together. I worked on pulling together all the key fishing representatives to put together the seafood task force to set out advice for me on how we can best support the sector in the years ahead, how we can best maximise the fishing sector we have and how we can best improve it and build it up as well. All those stakeholders took part in the seafood task force and unanimously signed off on the final report of the task force in October 2021. That task force recommended support measures for the fishing fleet and for inshore fishermen, aquaculture and seafood processors, as well as for fisheries co-operatives and coastal communities.

To date, on foot of the task force recommendations, I have delivered an unprecedented €305 million worth of support schemes for development and restructuring to ensure we have a sector that is as profitable and sustainable as it possibly can be and to identify new opportunities for jobs and economic activity in coastal communities, for whom fishing is massively important. I followed through on the recommendations from that task force. The sector itself came up with those recommendations and I have followed through on all of them, let no dust come on that report and delivered on the recommendations.

Fisheries quotas are obviously the key issue and key raw ingredient that drives our fisheries sector. As I said, we saw a 15% hit to our national quota as a result of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. That had a disproportionate impact on Ireland. I have been to the fore in making clear we are disproportionately affected and in seeking to have that redressed at European level in any way we possibly can. I will continue to seek opportunities to increase our fishing opportunities in any way possible.

In 2023, through the EU-Norway agreement, I secured an additional 4,000 tonnes of blue whiting for Ireland. This provides fishers with a total blue whiting quota of 53,776 tonnes for 2023, which is worth in excess of €13 million. In addition, we secured a significant reduction in the level of Norwegian access to EU waters, and consequently obviously, Irish waters. That downward trend in Norwegian access continues in 2024, where the level of access is reduced to approximately 41%, compared with the 68% in place in previous years.

In addition, Ireland's contribution to the EU's transfer of blue whiting to Norway in 2024 is less than the 4% cap I established in previous years, meaning that more quota is available now for Irish fishers. That has been the track record over the four years I have done these negotiations with EU colleagues and the Norwegian Government. We have each year improved our position from an Irish perspective as regards the quota available to us and have improved our position in reducing the access available to Norway as part of those agreements.

Most recently, at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council last December, I secured a permanent additional mackerel quota-share for Ireland worth approximately €3 million. That is the first ever permanent increase to our quota in mackerel that we have had in Ireland. It resulted in me and my team identifying a potential opportunity as regards mackerel quotas, which had been held up until now entirely by Danes and fished entirely by the Danish fleet. As a result of pursuing that opportunity, we secured that additional €3 million on an going basis. The fishing here this year will amount to just over 4,000 additional tonnes being fished this year.

Sustainability is a key principle of the Common Fisheries Policy, and rigorous assessment is undertaken to examine the implications for Ireland of the potential fishing opportunities each year. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, provides the scientific advice used by us, the European Commission and other countries. The waters surrounding Ireland contain some of the most productive fishing grounds in the EU. We have a duty of care to maintain those stocks in fishing them sustainably to make sure they continue to be there in future years. In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of stocks that are fished at a maximum sustainable yield level, with 39 stocks in the past year fished at a maximum sustainable yield level compared with only 20 stocks ten years ago. That is a significant achievement, and it is important for the sustainable availability of fish for our fleet into the future that we fish it sensibly and do not undermine it in the process of doing so.

We have seen tangible progress as regards fishers working sustainably because we have been able to reopen the spurdog fishery last year. Also, for the first time, we have had a commercial herring fishery off the north-west coast, and I want to see that build in the time ahead. That presents challenges as well, however. For example, the ICES advice for pollack this year was for a zero catch in areas 6 and 7. A small by-catch has been provided this year to avoid a choke situation in other fisheries. That step, which has been taken on scientific advice in order to protect that stock to allow time for it to recover and to be fished again, has had and will have an impact on fisheries this year, particularly on the inshore sector.

On wider issues, the House will be aware that this week I announced a public consultation on trawling within our six-nautical-mile zone and inside our baselines.

Five years ago, as the House will know, a transition to a ban on vessels over 18 m trawling in inshore waters, inside the six-nautical-mile zone and the baselines, was announced following a previous public consultation. While this ban had a strong support base, it was subsequently overturned following legal challenge. In view of changes in activity and issues concerning the marine space since then, it is important that this issue is reviewed and reflected on in an open and inclusive process.

I am particularly conscious of our inshore fleet and their dependence, compared with that of larger vessels, on fishing resources within the six-nautical-mile zone. Other issues that need to be reflected on include balancing the management of our fisheries with the needs of the marine ecosystem but also the changes that have come with Brexit, the energy crisis and the climate crisis. The policy context, obviously, has changed since 2018. I encourage everyone now to participate in that public consultation.

Fishing and the seafood sector are massively important to the social and economic health of our coastal communities. I have worked hard to invest substantially in the sector for that reason. I have delivered on the recommendations of the task force, which I outlined earlier. That has seen significant capital investment in local authority piers and harbours. This investment directly supports fishing and aquaculture and provides important diversification opportunities for coastal communities.

Overall, as I said, €305 million in funding has been delivered on the recommendations of the task force. These schemes were designed to support the sector to adapt, to diversify and to maximise value. They include, for example, €34 million on two temporary tie-up schemes, €7 million for two inshore business model adjustment schemes, €45 million in capital grant aid for the processing sector, and €20 million for an aquaculture development scheme. Towards the end of 2023, I secured further liquidity aid of €25 million for the pelagic sector and €7 million for the processing sector. We have also delivered on the task force's recommendation to provide €80 million in support for a voluntary decommissioning scheme.

Along the coast, by the end of 2023, the Government had delivered just under €38 million in funding to support 148 capital projects in terms of small piers and harbours.

Now we are looking towards the roll-out of our schemes under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund seafood development programme, which will see €258 million delivered through various schemes over the next short number of years.

I look forward to further discussing issues and questions which I have no doubt we will have over the course of this debate. I thank again everyone for requesting and facilitating this debate in the Dáil today.

I note that the Government had provided 15 minutes for its own Members to participate in this and nobody has taken up one single minute of those 15. That speaks volumes about the priority the Government is giving to the profound crisis in our fishing and seafood industry. Looking across our coast, I do not know to whom the Government is talking because I speak to inshore fishermen, islands fishermen, offshore fishermen, the seafood industry and the aquaculture industry and there is profound concern across the industry. A fisherman in recent days said to me that if the decommissioning scheme were made available again, he believes that even more would avail of it because they just cannot see light at the end of the tunnel and they do not see a sense of urgency in our Government at all.

The Minister will know that there is serious and profound concern about the negotiations that are happening as we speak between the European Commission and Iceland. Iceland is a country with a population of 380,000 people. I think that is around the same population as that of the city of Cork. If what has been suggested goes ahead, Iceland would have almost equal access to blue whiting as our entire industry and, of course, our population is 5.2 million in this State, 7 million on the island. These are our waters. This is our exclusive economic zone. Iceland is not a member of the European Union.

I do not have much time and I ask that the Minister respond as quickly as he can. When did he become aware of the discussions between the European Commission and Iceland? What was the exact date?

Towards the end of last year - I do not recall the exact date - there was engagement by the European Commission with us, consulting in discussions as regards Iceland. I have at all times fully briefed and engaged, as I always do, all the fishing sector representatives as to how we would approach those discussions. There has been no deal with Iceland. The reason for that is the stance I have taken. I have refused to accept or to agree to any mandate in this regard because I very much value and respect our waters and, as I said, over the past four years of negotiations I have reduced the extent of Icelandic access to our waters and increased our quota.

The European Commission, when it has engaged with the Irish fishing industry, has said that there is a mandate for discussions. Did the Minister agree to that mandate?

No. There is no mandate for discussions and no mandate to proceed to any negotiation here. There have been informal discussions between the European Commission and Iceland, which is often the case, but nothing can proceed unless a mandate is provided by European Union member states to the Commission to proceed with negotiations. As I said, I have been the only Minister who has been forthrightly refusing to provide a mandate because I have set very clear outlines under which any negotiation would take place. They would need to respect our waters and, if any negotiation were to take place, see us get significantly increased quotas, which others will not agree to.

For that reason, no mandate has been agreed.

To be clear, in terms of the shape of the draft deal that has been presented to the Irish fishing industry, the Minister is very clear that he will oppose any deal between the European Commission and Iceland, as the Irish fishing industry is united in demanding.

The reason there has been no mandate is because of the position I have taken as the Irish Minister. I consulted with those in our sector, and they are fully up to speed on everything that has happened here. I have kept them up to speed at all times. I read out what I have done regarding the line I have taken with the Commission. I have set a very high threshold, which is absolutely appropriate, with regard to respecting our waters in terms of fish and the fish coming to Ireland, should there be any deal.

Our share of blue whiting at the moment is 14%, for example. That is our quota. I have insisted that if there is to be any blue whiting transfer at European level, or any discussion with Iceland or any mandate provided, it could only be in the instance where, at an absolute minimum, we would get a quota of 75%. As other member states are not agreeable to that, so there has been no mandate. However, that is the very clear, hard position I have taken, which has meant there has been no movement or progress regarding the negotiation with Iceland.

To be clear, the Minister is committing to stand by the Irish fishing industry and not agree any deal with the European Commission unless it is in agreement with it. That is the Minister's position today.

No, that is not what I said. The Deputy will find that if he talks to people in the industry, there are very different views among them. In fact, he will also find that their views have changed over the last number of weeks and months. What I clearly said is that I consulted with them all at the start and right along the way. I have laid down very hard lines. Obviously, when we are the only member state that is really preventing this mandate happening, we have to be credible. We have to have clear lines and be able to defend them and hold tight otherwise we will not prevail. That is the approach I have taken. Others have shifted in position along the way but I have remained resolute. I laid out very hard lines in that regard and I stick by them.

I will conclude on this because I only have four minutes left.

I want to talk about inshore and island fishermen and the crisis they are facing. I will lead with this and ask that the Minister look at the issue of Brexit. It is clear that the European Commission agreed a Brexit deal with the UK accepting zonal attachment rather than relative stability. In other words, the waters would benefit those who live closer to them. That is the basis to the Brexit agreement - zonal attachment. Will the Minister examine the approach of the Irish Government in terms of the entire value? Will he give an assessment of the entire value of all the fish in the Irish exclusive economic zone, which is within the 200-mile limit? I am not asking the Minister to respond to that now, but he might undertake to supply those of us in the Opposition with a full value of all the fish in the exclusive economic zone of Ireland. What is the full value? What do we get? He might then address the zonal attachment issue. I do not want him to respond now as I do not have enough time left.

I want to say this on the record. Representatives from the National Inshore Fishermen's Association appeared before the Oireachtas committee recently. If the Minister has not had a chance to do so, he should please look back at their presentation or at least read the transcript of it. It was harrowing. As he knows, there are almost 2,000 inshore fishermen across the State. They have a producer organisation, which is good news. We also have the Irish Islands Marine Resource Organisation, IIMRO. However, both of them are getting very limited support in terms of their producer organisation. They are really trying to stand up for their communities with very limited resources. Will the Minister look at that?

Will the Minister look at the issue of fuel subsidies? The fuel subsidy is nothing. He talks about the tie-up scheme. Inshore and islands could not avail of that. They had no financial support deal, and the cost of fuel is increasing again. He might address supports and financial supports for the producer organisations. The Minister knows about the collapse of the crab and shrimp markets. Can he provide financial supports for that? The Minister has spoken about piers and harbours. Investment in piers and harbours came from the Brexit adjustment reserve fund. European money, which is basically called redundancy money in the industry, was given to make up for the huge loss of income to our industry. That money is being invested in piers and harbours. I would argue that it should be central Exchequer capital funding. Certainly, a good proportion of it should be going towards that. The Government has spent tens of millions of this Brexit adjustment reserve fund money on piers and harbours. Why has it not given financial assistance directly on fuel, as requested, compensating for the collapse of crab and shrimp and the issue of supporting the producer organisations?

Finally, because the Minister will only have about one minute to respond to me, I will mention the area of aquaculture. The Minister will know that in a recent speech in this Chamber, I spoke about the impact of recent changes in aquaculture in terms of Brexit. There are new export requirements for the live bivalve mollusc. Costs, logistics, paperwork and bureaucracy have all increased. I ask the Minister to engage with the IFA's aquaculture committee on this issue because this is having a serious impact on its members. I ask him to pay attention to that issue, too.

As two Members want to get in, there are only 30 seconds for the Minister to reply.

Okay, I will keep it to 30 seconds. With regard to the producer organisations report, I have advocated and for the first time, we have seen two inshore producer organisations established. They have the same funding available to them that other producer organisations in the same structure would have. That is really important.

There has been significant investment in piers and harbours through Brexit, but also significant State investment. The Deputy might recall the announcement I made last week. That is from national investment this year, primarily, with €9 million of the €12 million going to piers and harbours in County Donegal. That was announced for the county council and local authorities.

I have been meeting with the inshore sector about the crab and shrimp markets. The market has obviously dropped off, but there is a further meeting with them today with officials from my own team.

What about fuel subsidies?

That is not somewhere I have gone. I did an extra tie-up scheme last year instead of doing a fuel subsidy. Prices have come down again, but there is still a cost. Obviously, the challenge with fuel subsidies is that once we go there, there is no revenue. For example, marine fuel does not have any tax on it unlike other taxes. It is tax free apart from VAT, which is reclaimable.