Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
786. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legal options available to the Government in response to the blocking of Ireland’s invocation of the Hague Preference’s at the EU December 2025 Fisheries Council. [3335/26]
View answerThe Hague Preferences are additional amounts of quota that Ireland claims for a number of key stocks when the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) fall below specified levels.
The Hague Preferences are negotiated annually at the December Fisheries Council and, over the years, many Member States have objected strenuously to their application as the additional quota for Ireland comes off their allocations. These objections intensified in the face of quota reductions in other Member States arising from both the quota transfers under the EU-UK Trade & Co-operation Agreement and reductions due to scientific advice.
While Ireland invoked the Hague Preferences for the relevant stocks for 2026, the Danish Presidency did not include the Hagues in the final Presidency Compromise on the Fishing Opportunities Regulation as there was a blocking minority in place. While Ireland voted against the Regulation, as it did not include the Hague Preferences, the Regulation was adopted with a Qualified Majority.
My Department is currently examining the position to determine any next steps.
