Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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I thank Ms McSherry, Ms Brennan and Ms O’Sullivan for their opening statement. I have many questions, which I will try to go through as quickly as possible. I will start with the inshore sector because they were the first to contact me. I was at the AGM of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation. I was invited there on Saturday and got quite a lot of insight into the issues out there, the problems many fishermen are facing and many of the questions they need answering. One of the questions posed to us at the end, which perhaps I should leave to the end, is: what can fishermen do to turn the negative feeling that is out there towards fishermen? It is easy for me to see that.

I am not taking issue with Ms O'Sullivan on this matter. The Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform spoke about everything in the budget last week, but they never used the words "fishing", "fisheries" or "funds for fisheries". I will ask that question again at the very end when the witnesses might be able to answer it.

On the inshore sector, the National Inshore Fishermen's Association wrote to the Minister in June of last year asking him for a seat on the Celtic Sea herring advisory committee. Last October, the association wrote again to ask for a seat. When the Minister appeared before the joint committee on 19 June last, he told the association that the matter was under consideration. That has been the case for more than 12 months. Has the Minister made a decision?