The Minister for the Marine, Mr Dermot Ahern, said he has received an assurance from the Italian Presidency of the EU that it will press for early resolution of the Irish Box fishing waters issue.
Speaking following a meeting of the Fisheries Council in Brussels, Mr Ahern said Italian Minister Mr Giovanni Alemanno had announced his intention to seek such a resolution in the "early autumn".
"While I am disappointed that we have not been able to resolve this very important issue before the Summer break, I welcome the commitment of the Italian Presidency . . . deal with the issue," he said.
Mr Ahern said a lot of constructive work was achieved during the Greek presidency and that he looked forward to building on that.
"Our fundamental objective is to protect fish stocks while maintaining sustainable fishing for our coastal communities.
"I believe the series of meetings I have had since Christmas with key players has certainly ensured that our message is understood as is our determination to achieve a just solution," Mr Ahern said.
The Commission today briefed the Council and ministers gave their initial responses on a recovery plans for hake and cod in the North Sea, Irish Sea and south and western waters.
Ireland has been seeking alternatives to the flat restrictions proposed by the European Commission to protect fishing stocks in the Irish Sea. The fishing industry is also broadly opposed to the restrictions, which the Commission insists are necessary to allow fish stocks to regenerate.