Oireachtas committee exposes shoddy thinking on Fisheries Bill

THE debate on the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill has been characterised to date by the quality of scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee.

The committee has exposed the shoddy thinking behind the measure.

In its dissection of Marine Minister Noel Dempsey's stated rationale for various aspects of the bill and the failure to address its principal shortcoming the decriminalisation of less serious fisheries offences the committee has done a great service yet again in bringing some clarity to the issues.