Fianna Fáil TDs yesterday supported Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey's refusal to introduce parking fine-like penalties for fishermen breaking EU fishing laws.
The support for the Minister, however, was reluctantly offered, and it only came following a meeting between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and seven Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators, including leading Fianna Fáil backbench opponent of the sea fisheries Bill, Cork South West TD Denis O'Donovan.
Last night Mr O'Donovan said the Taoiseach had "listened to what we had to say and the difficulties we had".
However, he appears to have made no concessions.
In the first key vote on the legislation shortly before 8pm last night, the chairman of the Oireachtas Marine Committee, Noel O'Flynn, Peter Kelly, Dermot Fitzpatrick, Tom McEllistrim, Mr O'Donovan, and PD TD Fiona O'Malley all supported Mr Dempsey.
The controversial Bill updates 1959 fishery protection legislation, transferring responsibility for prosecutions from the Attorney General to the Director of Public Prosecutions and sets up a new independent Sea Fisheries Authority.
Following Fianna Fáil backbench opposition, the Minister has already cut the fines that can be levied on fishermen found guilty of overfishing, quota infringements and other offences.
Despite the concessions, fishing lobby groups have alleged that the Minister is "criminalising" the industry because he has refused to agree that more minor offences should be dealt with by an administrative fine, rather than by the courts.
Refusing to concede ground on the central issue last night, Mr Dempsey bluntly told Opposition deputies to draw up a plan to define "minor offences, if you can do it".
He went on: "I am quite satisfied that this is as far as I can go.
"I have no intention of bringing forward amendments."
Emphasising once more that he believed only a small number of fishermen are engaged in "systematic criminality", Mr Dempsey said a failure to fill in a logbook could sometimes be an accidental mistake, but on other occasions it could be part of "a well-organised conspiracy".
The discipline of the Fianna Fáil TDs was put to the test earlier than expected once they reached an amendment put down by Sinn Féin Kerry North TD Martin Ferris.
Under Mr Ferris's amendment, sea fishery protection officers would exercise their powers subject to the understanding that "fishermen may elect to pay a fixed penalty".
Furthermore, Mr Ferris wanted radical cuts to the penalties that can currently be levied.Urging the Minister to follow Britain, Mr Ferris said it intends to introduce administrative fines, though Mr Dempsey subsequently pointed out that these fines would only apply in cases where fishermen would stand to gain £1,000 by breaching the law.
