Controversial fisheries Bill passes all stages

The Government had a comfortable majority last night when the controversial Sea Fisheries and Marine Jurisdiction Bill passed all stages by 79 votes to 49. The Green Party and a number of Independents supported the Government.

The Bill contains a range of penalties for illegal fishing and the establishment of an independent seafood control manager.

Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey said that Opposition deputies had not moved very far, despite the overwhelming evidence against some of their arguments.

"I indicated on committee stage that the question of including administrative sanctions in this Bill was a non-runner. I have not changed my view." Mr Dempsey insisted that the Bill was absolutely necessary, and had been made so by legal proceedings, the last of which concluded over 12 months ago.

Jim O'Keeffe (FG, Cork South-West) claimed that Fianna Fáil TDs had encouraged the Opposition to proceed with amendments to the Bill.

"Above all, our approach has the support of people along our coastline, from north Donegal to my constituency of Cork South-West and along the south and east coasts."

Denis O'Donovan (FF, Cork South-West) said the entire House agreed that criminal sanctions must remain in place for serious offences. "There is a perception that the Minister is introducing criminal sanctions for the first time, but that is not the case. What is being endeavoured is to change the criminality aspect to that of an administrative-style sanction as it pertains in Europe."

Noel O'Flynn (FF, Cork North Central) said that an imperfect Bill was published and had been improved by the contributions of all members, all the representatives of the industry and the Minister and Minister of State Pat "The Cope" Gallagher, who dealt with it. Mr O'Flynn asserted that some sections of the Dublin print media did not have the story right. "The only person who got it right on Monday was Lorna Siggins in The Irish Times."