Ireland has some of the richest fishing grounds in the whole world, and it is unbelievable to see what has happened to the fishing industry under the policies of the Government. It is estimated that the Irish fleet only takes 15% of the fish out of Irish waters. I am still actually shocked by that figure, even though I have read it so many times, and that 85% of Irish fish in Irish waters is actually taken by foreign trawlers and other fishing boats. It is an amazing situation.

The industry is, I believe, €1.3 billion in size, and 11,000 people are employed in it. The Minister might think the fishing industry is a small thing, and not to be worried about or discussed. However, it is actually a big thing because it is a touchstone issue for people. People not in fishing are still significantly aggrieved by previous Governments handing over such a large amount of Ireland's wealth to the European Union. People are very angry about the Government's track record on this, and they also recognise that what is happening to the fishing industry is about to happen to the agricultural sector as well, which is that the Government flew the white flag on fishing 20 or 30 years ago, and now it is doing the same to the agricultural sector. I pay tribute to Patrick Murphy, who is the CEO of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, and also the Aontú candidate for Ireland South in the upcoming European elections. He has done tremendous work for the fishing industry. However, that sector is being hammered. Boats are being decommissioned. Irish quotas are reducing due to Brexit, etc., and now for a large number of areas, Ireland has a lower quota of Irish fish than other European countries, which is an absolutely incredible situation.

The first question I want to ask the Minister is: did the Danes offer Ireland 12,000 tonnes of mackerel?

No.

In September, the Danes offered the Minister 3,000 tonnes of mackerel quota. Is that the case?

This is a major success we have had in terms of a one-off increase in our mackerel quota. I engaged on this with my team when we identified an opportunity. At the time, we were accused by the Danish minister of conducting a midnight heist at the negotiations when we went after this particular quota. We succeeded there at the most recent December fisheries quotas talks of getting a permanent allocation.

Of how much?

It is 25% of that total allowable catch, TAC, going forward on an annual basis.

How much is that in tonnes?

The Danish minister made a number of offers in advance previous to that, which did not hold any water. I refuted them as not cutting the mustard. I kept working on this until I got a deal which would actually work and deliver and which we did deliver.

I asked, did the Danes offer the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 3,000 tonnes of mackerel? The Minister has taken up at least 30 seconds of very limited time and he has not answered the question. Did they?

What we have achieved-----

Did they, Minister? I do not have much time.

One of the Danish offers was 3,000 tonnes of mackerel for two different years-----

Okay, thanks.

-----which I refused and blew out of the water because it would simply not cut the mustard. After refusing a number of deals, I got a much better one. Incidentally when I presented it to your own colleague, Patrick Murphy, I can recall him saying that for the first time he had some hope for our fishing sector because of the progress made with this deal. It was welcomed by him at that point but I see he has changed his stance since then.

In September, I understand the Minister was given a communiqué on the 3,000 tonnes, which I understand he ignored.

No.

I also understand that the Minister said it was legal. The Minister went to the December Council and, having discussed it with the Spanish, came home with 1,500 tonnes, half the number that was offered. Is this the miracle of the loaves and fishes in reverse, where we start out with less fish than we were offered?

No, it is simply a sign that Deputy Tóibín does not know what he is talking about, and that he does not have an understanding of the issue. I have secured approximately 4,300 additional tonnes of mackerel to be fished in Ireland this year.

From the Danish offer?

Yes, this 4,300 tonnes will be fished this year because of the deal I secured at the December Council. That involves a 40% allocation of the TAC from last year, as well as a 30% allocation this year, both of those being fished this year. Going forward, in the long term, there will be a 25% allocation which we secured. This is now permanently additional to the Irish quota.

What does the 25% equate to in tonnage?

It will depend on what the quota is in any one year. It was 2,495 tonnes last year and it will be 1,769 tonnes in 2024. This represents a 30% amount, so we are talking in the region of 1,500 tonnes.

In that case, with the figures I started off with, the long-term effect is true.

No, it shows that the Deputy does not get this issue and is badly briefed on it.

I have a final question. Time has been taken off me by elongated questions.

No, there has been a robust exchange.

I think I have made the position very clear.

Perhaps there will be time at the end with the Government's reply.