Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
488. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to secure a fair and equitable share of a quota (details supplied), and that fishers receive an appropriate and increased allocation within any final arrangement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5171/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission has exclusive competence to negotiate with Third Countries on behalf of the EU in relation to fishing opportunities, on the basis of a mandate agreed by Council.
There has been engagement between the European Commission and Member States as regards discussions on Iceland and my Department takes an active involvement in discussions which may impact, or offer opportunities for, Ireland’s seafood sector.
There is currently no agreement in place between the EU and Iceland. I continue to engage with stakeholders with whom these discussions may impact.
As regards quota allocation at a national level, in Ireland, quotas are a public resource and are managed to provide for proper management, conservation and rational exploitation of the State’s fishing quotas. Quotas are managed as a public good that ensures that property rights are not granted to individual operators. This is seen as a critical policy in order to ensure that quotas are not concentrated into the hands of large fishing companies whose owners have the financial resources to buy up such rights. In Ireland, any movement towards privatisation and concentration of rights into the hands of large companies would seriously risk fishing vessels losing an economic link with Ireland’s coastal communities and undermining the socio-economic importance of the fishing industry in the coastal communities dependent on fishing.
The result of this long-standing policy is that the Irish fishing fleet involves a balanced spread of sizes and types of fishing vessels, which have retained a strong economic link with our coastal communities and have delivered vital economic activity in these communities.
Pelagic stocks such as mackerel are managed on an annual or seasonal basis. Management of the national mackerel quota is set down in Ministerial Policy, which has been developed and put in place over many years since the commencement of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the introduction of quotas.
Any amendments or changes to the overarching policy on management arrangements are determined by the Minister following detailed analysis and full consultation with stakeholders, in particular the fishing industry.
The Mackerel policy was last amended in July 2017 after intensive review and public consultation. It should be noted that the 2017 policy is subject to a legal challenge in the Courts.
In order to consider any review of the Mackerel policy, I must be satisfied that there is satisfactory evidence of changed circumstances to justify a policy review. If I consider there is a case for review of any aspect of a policy, it will require due process, involving an assessment of all issues arising, including a full public consultation.
Unfortunately, the situation is that if there is an increase in the Mackerel quota allocation for any group of vessels, it must be taken from other groups within the fleet.
