Written Answers Nos. 771-790
771. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the ISD can audit schools, if it cannot generate a list of students enrolled in each institution at any given time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4447/26]
View answer772. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the ISD can enforce attendance compliance, if it cannot reconcile student permissions to school registers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4448/26]
View answer773. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which the ISD can verify that a school is not exceeding its declared ILEP/TrustEd capacity, if it cannot extract student numbers by provider; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4449/26]
View answer774. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the way in which his Department conducts internal audits of student permissions issued, if it cannot extract datasets of students by educational institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4450/26]
View answer775. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reconciliation controls that exist to compare visas issued under a provider’s name against that provider’s declared capacity and enrolment totals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4451/26]
View answer778. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason schools cannot access a list of visas issued under their name to verify fraudulent use of their institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4455/26]
View answer779. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department will implement a secure portal and verified code system in order that only schools can confirm enrolment documents for visa renewals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4456/26]
View answer782. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the controls that exist within ILEP/TrustEd to prevent a provider doubling or trebling in size within a short period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4503/26]
View answer783. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of schools that increased declared capacity by more than 50% between 2019 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4504/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 778, 779, 782 and 783 together.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how the Government intends to meet the demands and opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is currently working with other colleagues in Government Departments to develop this strategy with the aim to publish it this year.
As part of this strategic approach, I am reviewing the area of student permissions, including with regard to English Language students. This work is aimed at ensuring that the system remains robust and rules-based, supports high-quality education providers, and continues to offer a positive experience for genuine students coming to Ireland.
International students from outside the EU/EEA are granted a residence permission on Stamp 2 conditions where they have enrolled on, and commenced a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), or eligible programmes offered by providers with authorisation to use the new TrustEd Education mark awarded by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
An education provider can only enrol non-EEA national students who hold a valid student immigration permission. My Department holds information regarding the number of people registered at each particular educational institution but this is not published as this could be considered commercially sensitive.
Providers are required to submit template information on a weekly basis to my Department. This includes data on enrolments, attendance rates and expulsions; all such information received from providers is stored on my Department's operating system. In the event that a student is not attending a course of study, or is expelled, my Department will investigate each individual case accordingly.
Where students have not complied with the conditions of their Stamp 2 permission, in terms of course attendance and progression, they may be subject to revocation of their residence status.
The ILEP was introduced as a more restrictive list of education programmes eligible for student immigration purposes, used as a reference point for the immigration function of my Department in considering visa and residency applications from non-EEA applicants wishing to study on a full-time basis in Ireland.
To retain a listing on the ILEP, providers are required to keep within the criteria laid down in the ['Arrangements applying to English Language Programmes, Higher Education Programmes and Foundation Programmes from 1 October 2015 (updated 21 March 2025)']
Education providers must identify how programmes and students are accommodated and the resources available, including details of:
• The maximum number of enrolled students the provider can accommodate.
• The number of classrooms and capacity of each at each centre.
• The facilities available to students at each centre, adequate for the maximum number of students.
• The facilities available to academic staff at each centre, including spaces for the preparation of lessons.
• The duration of the current lease arrangements for the classrooms as set out above.
Providers must remain in compliance with the relevant criteria to retain a listing on the ILEP. Instances of non-compliance may result in removal from the ILEP.
My Department monitors compliance and any education provider may be subject to unannounced inspections, on-line monitoring, or random spot checks to ensure its compliance with ILEP criteria, and this includes the maintenance of records and reports. These may be requested by my Department at any time and failure to do so can result in the removal of a provider from the ILEP.
Inspections are only one piece of a suite of compliance activities. Once a provider is listed on the ILEP, they are required to notify my Department of matters such as, but not limited to, any changes to the ownership of the school, change in locations or additional centres, changes to their academic management or teachers, and student capacity numbers.
The number of Interim List of Eligible Programme (ILEP) English Language Providers that provided information about increased declared capacity by more than 50% between 2019 and 2023 are as follows:
|
|
|
|
Year: |
Number of ILEP English Language Providers: |
|
2019 |
7 |
|
2020 |
0 (Covid-19 restrictions affected provision for part of 2020) |
|
2021 |
0 (Covid-19 restrictions affected provision for part of 2021) |
|
2022 |
4 |
|
2023 |
2 -- |
ILEP is currently being superseded by TrustEd Ireland, the international education mark launched in September 2024 by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. TrustEd Ireland is a new statutory quality mark and part of a suite of legislative measures designed to further protect international learners.
Once the ILEP is discontinued, only education providers which are granted authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark provided by QQI will be eligible to recruit non-EU/EEA students to English language programmes, foundation programmes and higher education programmes leading to awards within the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).
The new mark will be awarded to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners from pre-enrolment through to the completion of their programme of education and training. Applications are currently being reviewed for the first application cycle, which closed in March 2025. Decisions are scheduled to issue early this year.
776. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason online renewals were allowed to continue for two years without basic verification measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4452/26]
View answer777. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of renewal applications that were refused due to fraudulent documentation in 2022, 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4453/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 776 and 777 together.
I can assure the Deputy that there is and always has been robust verification measures in place for online registration renewals.
All nationwide applications for renewal of immigration permissions are submitted using the ISD online renewal portal. Based on an applicants immigration stamp type, they are required to supply a comprehensive list of documentation, as well as pay a €300 registration fee in most cases.
Further information on the renewal process as well as the list of documents required for each stamp type are available on the ISD website at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/registering-your-immigration-permission/how-to-register-your-immigration-permission-for-the-first-time/required-documents/
I can assure the Deputy that all documents submitted are checked and validated by officials in my Department for each online renewal application. If there are concerns regarding a renewal application, officials may arrange for an in-person renewal to assess original copies of documents before completing the application.
Information regarding the refusal reason for a person's online renewal is recorded on each individual file. To desegregate this data in the manner requested by the Deputy would require the manual examination of thousands of records. Such an examination would require a disproportionate amount of time to compile and would deflect resources from processing the very significant annual number of applications for immigration permission renewals.
If ISD become aware that someone has presented fraudulent documentation relating to their online renewal, then ISD will investigate each individual case accordingly.
Insofar as the question of arrangements for extensions of permissions to remain during the pandemic period are concerned, health and infection control requirements gave rise to restrictions on international travel and significant constraints in relation to in-person provision of services. To address the practical issues that this gave rise to for both individuals and the Immigration Service Delivery function of my Department extensions to the validity periods of existing immigration permissions were made during this period. These formed part of a range of exceptional measures put in place across private and public services during that time and concluded in 2022.
780. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration how organisations can apply for funding under the Community Safety Fund; the name of projects in south Dublin city that received funding under the Community Safety Fund in 2024 and 2025; and the amount received per project, in tabular form. [4458/26]
View answerThe Community Safety Fund re-directs the proceeds of crime, seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and An Garda Síochána, back into communities in order to fund innovative local projects aimed at building stronger, safer communities.
Initially called the Community Safety Innovation Fund and launched in 2022, it has supported 127 community safety projects to date all across Ireland.
The fund is managed by the National Office for Community Safety.
On 30 October 2025, I announced the allocation of €4.4 million from the fund to support 42 community safety projects nationwide. This represents a 33% increase on the €3 million awarded in 2024.
I expect to launch the 2026 fund in March, with a deadline for submission of completed applications in May. Details on how to apply will be made available on my Department's website.
The below table outlines the projects that applied, by year, in Dublin and the amount awarded.
|
Year/ Project No |
County |
Applicant Organisation |
Project |
Funding |
|
2024-3 |
Dublin |
Dublin City Council |
Dublin Safe Bus Project |
€150,000 |
|
2024-4 |
Dublin |
Dublin North Inner City Community Safety Partnership(this application is being made by a consortium, comprising of DCC, Dublin Town, LCSP and Ana Liffey Drug Project, LCSP are the lead partner) |
Wolfe Tone Square Local Community Safety Warden Scheme. LCSW scheme |
€150,000 |
|
2024-5 |
Dublin |
Ballyfermot Youth Service |
Outdoor Education In The City |
€150,000 |
|
2024-6 |
Dublin |
Merchants Quay Ireland |
Peer Engagement Project |
€142,808 |
|
2024-7 |
Dublin |
Sphere 17 |
Detached bus – Out N About |
€128,654 |
|
2024-8 |
Dublin |
Dublin City Council On Behalf Of Darndale Implementation Oversight Group |
Darndale Implementation Oversight Group (DIOG) |
€114,316 |
|
2024-9 |
Dublin |
FamiliBase |
That's a WRAP |
€75,315 |
|
2024-10 |
Dublin |
North Inner City Drug Alcohol |
Evaluation of Sports |
€70,000 |
|
2024-11 |
Dublin |
National Women’s Council of Ireland |
The Women’s Community Safety Café |
€60,314 |
|
2024-12 |
Dublin |
Citywise Education |
Citywise Leaders in Action Project |
€60,000 |
|
2024-13 |
Dublin |
Ballymun Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force |
Making My Own Choices Project, Ballymun |
€45,500 |
|
2024-14 |
Dublin |
Northside Partnership |
Connecting Youth |
€21,600 |
|
2024-33 |
Nationwide |
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children |
Non-violent Resistance |
€68,915 |
|
2025-7 |
Dublin |
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre |
Improving Community Safety in relation to Sexual Violence |
€149,547 |
|
2025-8 |
Dublin |
Canal Communities Regional Addiction Service CLG (CCRAS CLG) |
Canal Communities Group Violence Intervention and Restorative Programme |
€142,500 |
|
2025-9 |
Dublin |
YMCA Dublin |
YMCA Dublin’s Community Wellbeing and Safety Initiative |
€142,500 |
|
2025-10 |
Dublin |
Restorative Justice Services |
Restorative and Community Justice Pilot |
€142,470 |
|
2025-11 |
Dublin |
Inner City Organisations Network (ICON) |
Safer Communities Initiative |
€125,092 |
|
2025-12 |
Dublin |
Childhood Development Initiative |
Restorative Futures |
€90,000 |
|
2025-13 |
Dublin |
Dublin South City Partnership CLG (DSCP) |
Make it with my Mentor and Fast Track Academy |
€62,800 |
|
2025-14 |
Dublin |
Citywise Education |
Citywise Engage |
€60,000 |
|
2025-15 |
Dublin |
Cabra For Youth CLG |
RISE – Respect, Identity, Strength, Empowerment thought a peer leadership model |
€52,600 |
|
2025-16 |
Dublin, Cork, Galway, Donegal, Kildare |
Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS) |
Community Based Health and Leadership Programme (CBHL) |
€115,744 |
|
2025-17 |
Dublin, Waterford, Laois |
Immigrant Council of Ireland |
REAL TALK |
€142,500 |
|
2025-18 |
Dublin, Wicklow |
Saoirse Domestic Violence Services (Saoirse DVS Housing Association) |
The INSPIRE Family Project |
€107,000 |
|
2025-37 |
Nationwide |
Cumann Peile Na hEireann (Football Association of Ireland) |
A Game of two Halves |
€142,500 |
|
2025-38 |
Nationwide |
Brothers of Charity Services Ireland (BOCSI) (Lead Applicant). In collaboration with Dr Charles O’Mahony, School of Law, University of Galway. |
PEER – People Educating for Empowerment and Rights: A peer-led programme by people with intellectual disabilities, promoting community safety, inclusion, and justice. |
€142,500 |
|
2025-39 |
Nationwide |
Muintir Na Tíre |
Community Safety Toolkit |
€142,424 |
|
2025-40 |
Nationwide |
MOVE Ireland- Men overcoming Violence |
Gateway assessment programme (GAP) |
€141,973 |
|
2025-41 |
Nationwide |
PsyCare Ireland: Welfare and Harm Reduction CLG |
PsyCare Ireland NITE Programme: Nightlife Intervention & Training for Empowerment |
€81,100 |
|
2025-42 |
Nationwide |
Outcomers LGBT+ |
App Happy Plus (Discussing online dating safety with gay and bisexual men) Support Service |
€36,800
|
781. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the future of the accommodation recognition payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4468/26]
View answerThe Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to temporary protection beneficiaries from Ukraine. The scheme is provided for in Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of Social Protection on my behalf.
The scheme has been successful in accommodating some 63,000 temporary protection beneficiaries outside of State-contracted accommodation since it commenced in 2022. Some 42,000 people are currently living in over 23,000 hosted accommodations with the support of the scheme.
The ARP scheme is currently in place until 31 March 2026 but may be extended by Ministerial order in accordance with the governing legislation. It is my intention to seek Oireachtas approval to extend the scheme for a further year to 31 March 2027 to align with the timeframe for the Temporary Protection Directive and to allow for an orderly wind-down of the scheme in advance of the end of the application of that EU Directive to the war in Ukraine.
Section 4(2) of the Act of 2022 enables me to make such a change, following consultation with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I can confirm that I have commenced those consultations.
The Act of 2022 also requires, where such an order is proposed to be made, that a draft of the order be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and that the order shall not be made until a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each House of the Oireachtas. I intend to complete the required statutory processes before the current scheme termination date of 31 March.
784. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reason his Department responded to increased numbers by raising proof-of-funds instead of regulating provider expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4505/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a National Migration and Integration Strategy detailing how the Government intends to meet the demands and opportunities facing Ireland’s society and economy over the next decade. My Department is currently working with other Government Departments to develop this strategy with the aim to publish it this year.
As part of this strategic approach, I am reviewing the area of student permissions, including with regard to English Language students. This work is aimed at ensuring that the system remains robust and rules-based, supports high-quality education providers, and continues to offer a positive experience for genuine students coming to Ireland.
One of the key conditions applicable to a student coming to Ireland is that they must be able to support themselves while in the state. As such, proof of available finances is a requirement for all relevant non-EEA national students, both visa and non-visa required. This is separate to any educational fees and relates only to levels of funds required to live in Ireland. It also considers the welfare of international students to ensure they can meet essential living costs during their studies.
Following a review by my Department in 2022, it was concluded that the level of funds required should be increased to more accurately reflect the average annual living expenses for students in Ireland. Prior to 2022, these finance levels had not been reviewed in more than 10 years. These changes were agreed with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
785. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if a Stamp 2 English-language student is permitted to work as an English teacher, if he considers this compatible with the purpose of a student permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4509/26]
View answerAt Government level, the administration and management of international student programmes is within the remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), with my Department having responsibility for visa and related residency policies.
A new international education quality mark, TrustEd Ireland, is being introduced by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), an agency under the remit of DFHERIS. The TrustEd Ireland Mark will be awarded to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet new national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners.
Providers must demonstrate compliance with an associated Code of Practice. The Code of Practice for the provision of English language education programmes to international learners sets out requirements relating to teacher qualifications. The Code specifies that all teaching staff must hold a major award at Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or equivalent, and they must also have completed an English language teacher training/education programme leading to an award at a minimum of Level 6 on the NFQ or equivalent and validated by QQI, a national awarding body or an internationally recognised awarding body.
International students from outside the EU/EEA are granted a residence permission on Stamp 2 conditions where they have enrolled on, and commenced a course listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), or eligible programmes offered by providers with authorisation to use the new TrustEd Education mark awarded by the QQI.
The primary purpose of the Stamp 2 is to provide opportunities for study in Ireland. All applicants must show that they have sufficient funds to support their stay in Ireland without recourse to public funds, or the reliance on casual employment. Stamp 2 holders may engage in casual employment for a maximum of 20 hours per week during school term and 40 hours per week during holidays.
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.
787. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will develop an exotic pets register, similar to practices in Northern Ireland. [3379/26]
View answerMy Department introduced the Animal Health and Welfare (Sale or Supply of Pet Animals) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 681/2019). These Regulations put into law certain requirements for sellers and suppliers of pet animals, including the requirement for registering with my Department and agreeing to have certain records available to the public.
My Department engages with online platforms that sell pets, reminding them of the obligations in relation to the regulations surrounding pet sales. Any pet sales advertisements that are reported to my Department for potential breaches of the legislation are investigated by my Department, local authorities and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). Where breaches of the regulations are found, advertisements are removed, and the owners are then investigated through the relevant channels.
Husbandry, or care for animals including exotic animals, is outlined in the code of practice for sellers and suppliers of pet animals, available here Code of Practice for Sellers of Pet Animals. My Department currently has no plans to introduce a positive or a prohibited list for exotic animals.
788. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the type and amounts of seafood that will be imported into the European Union every year under the proposed Mercosur Trade Agreement. [3486/26]
View answerIn 2024, EU member states imported approximately 145,000 tonnes from the Mercosur bloc, the majority from Argentina. The primary species imported were shrimp, hake and squid. This figure should be seen in the context that EU seafood import volumes in 2024 totalled 5.7 million tonnes. Seafood imports to Ireland from full Mercosur members in 2024 totalled 66 tonnes, mostly hake and other whitefish from Argentina.
The Irish seafood processing sector, which is worth €947 million to the Irish economy, depends on a stable and diverse supply of raw material to remain competitive and resilient, and seafood imports are a vital complement to domestic supply. Imports are an increasingly important component of the raw material supply base for Irish seafood processors. Between 2020 and 2024, Irish seafood imports increased by 17%, with imported raw material especially critical for whitefish processors.
Under the EU-Mercosur Agreement, the tariff lines for the vast majority of seafood products are liberalised at entry into force, while some products (e.g. frozen hake, frozen shrimp, frozen lobster and frozen crabs) will be subject to a phase-in period of either 4, 7 or 10 years prior to full liberalisation.
In the event that the EU-Mercosur Agreement is ultimately approved and progressed to implementation, my Department anticipates that seafood processors themselves may seek to develop new sources of raw material supply, and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) will continue to provide the necessary business intelligence services to the sector, such as market insights, price trends, and sourcing profiles to support informed decision-making by processors when procuring both domestic and imported raw material.
BIM works to ensure that Irish seafood processors can effectively balance domestic landings and imports, in order to safeguard processing capacity and maintain Ireland’s competitiveness in both export and domestic markets. BIM remains conscious of the need to enable processors to better integrate imports into their supply strategies while continuing to maximise the value of Irish-landed fish.
Any increase in imported seafood that could result from the approval and implementation of the EU-Mercosur Agreement will take place in the context of the very stringent EU standards to protect human, animal and plant health, known as SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) standards. These are amongst the highest in the world, and the European Commission has insisted that they are not negotiable. The Government is very firmly of the view that EU SPS standards must continue to be rigorously upheld for the benefit of European consumers.
789. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has requested his Department to draft amending legislation to the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006. [3487/26]
View answerThe EU Fisheries Control Regulation provides for a Union fisheries control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy and establishing a level playing field across the EU on fisheries control. The current Control Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/2842) entered into force in January 2024 and updates and amends the previous Control Regulation (Regulation (EC) 1224/2009).
In addition, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2196 lays down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) 1224/2009, while Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1766 supplements Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 by laying down rules on the control of fisheries etc.
My Department is working with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), and with other relevant Departments and agencies, to introduce the required measures to implement, at national level, the relevant provisions of the above EU Regulations. While this may involve amending existing or introducing new legislation, it is not envisioned that there will be a full scale review of the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 at this time.
790. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update on Ireland’s efforts to secure a bluefin quota from the European Union for the fishing industry here. [3496/26]
View answerThe Bluefin Tuna quota available to the EU is allocated each year to Member States based on relative stability, as established in the late 1990s. At that time, Ireland did not have a track record of commercial fishing for Bluefin Tuna and, accordingly, did not receive a quota allocation.
A small Bluefin Tuna by-catch quota is available to Ireland, primarily for use in our important Northern Albacore Tuna fishery and Celtic Sea Herring fishery, where there can be Bluefin Tuna by-catch.
In 2018, Ireland was successful in securing, for the first time, an agreement that allowed Ireland to set up a catch-tag-release fishery to contribute to the collection of scientific data for the Bluefin Tuna stock. A catch-tag-release science-based fishery for authorised recreational angling vessels has been in place since 2019 and supports the collection of valuable data on the migratory patterns of Bluefin Tuna in Irish waters. This fishery is most beneficial to Ireland as it increases our knowledge of the behaviour and abundance of Bluefin Tuna in northwestern waters, while also providing a small but valuable tourism benefit to peripheral coastal communities.
Ireland has made clear to EU Member States and the European Commission that it considers that there is a case for an allocation of Bluefin Tuna quota to be made available to Ireland for a targeted fishery. The case is supported by the data collected in the catch-tag-release science-based fishery for authorised recreational angling vessels.
Ireland has requested the opening of discussions at EU level to progress our case. However, opening up this issue is difficult as other Member States are resistant to any discussion on amending relative stability for this stock. Any change to the existing system of quota allocations would require a majority of Member States to agree under the qualified majority voting system. Any change to the current relative stability would involve a loss for some other Member States and, therefore, poses particular challenges in a qualified majority voting context.
Notwithstanding these challenges, I believe that there is a strong case for Ireland given the abundance of Bluefin Tuna in our waters, and I will continue to pursue it at every opportunity.
