The Irish Box issue continues to remain unresolved, following yesterday's agriculture and fisheries council in Brussels. However, fishing industry representatives who flew to Brussels said last night that they would be keeping the pressure on to ensure that Ireland stood its ground on the issue.
The Minister for the Marine,Mr Ahern, says that he has secured a commitment from the Greek EU presidency that it will be dealt with at EU level during its term - rather than bilaterally between Ireland and Spain as the European Commission has directed. The Greek presidency listed the issue for discussion under "any other business" at yesterday's council, which was the first since the controversial week-long meeting in December to review the Common Fisheries Policy.
Industry representatives said that they had had a "constructive" meeting with the Minister in Brussels before the council and had made him fully aware of their concerns on the Irish Box - and on the separate issue of new days-at-sea restrictions which will restrict north-west whitefish vessels to nine days fishing a month if imposed in full on February 1st.
Mr Jason Whooley, of the Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation, said that the industry was now waiting for a firm proposal from the Greek presidency. "The bottom line is what we see in writing," he said.
Mr Sean O'Donoghue, of the Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation, said that he hoped the Greek presidency would "live up to the commitment given to Ireland".
