Ireland's commitment to enforcing the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) will be discussed by EU fisheries commissioner Joe Borg and Minister for Marine Noel Dempsey at a meeting in Brussels today.
However, the European Commission's fisheries directorate has said that Ireland does not currently face any multimillion euro fine over CFP breaches, contrary to recent press reports.
It has also emerged that inefficiencies within the Minister's department are the subject of the Irish infringement of the CFP which has been referred to the European Court of Justice.
The Irish case is one of four referrals, also involving fisheries administrations in Britain, France and Italy, for failing to forward catch and fishing effort to the European Commission.
Separately, Ireland faces four infringement proceedings for overfishing. There are 49 such cases of overfishing involving 10 coastal member states.
Failure of department officials to notify catch data/fishing effort to the commission and unsatisfactory monitoring of technical conservation measures are the subject of two other Irish infringements.
Shortcomings in Ireland's control systems will be discussed at today's meeting, according to a spokeswoman for the commission's fisheries directorate.
These "shortcomings" were identified in a letter sent by the commission to the Irish authorities last year, she said, and related to the failure to monitor catch and landings, the use of satellite vessel monitoring systems, and the level of fines.
However, recently reported illegal landings by Irish pelagic (mackerel) vessels in Scotland ould not be discussed and were a matter for the member states concerned, the spokeswoman said.
The fisheries directorate has reiterated it would prefer a system of administrative penalties for fisheries offences, but has said this is a matter for member states to decide.
"We are more interested in the results," the spokeswoman said.
The €20 million fine levelled against France - cited by Mr Dempsey in the Dáil on February 10th as a reason for retaining the criminal system - was a "once-off", she said.
"This €20 million fine relates to ignoring a court ruling dating back to 1991 in one of several policy areas, as provided for under the Maastricht Treaty. The lump sum levied was for ignoring a court ruling for so long."
A further fine of €57 million has been imposed against France for every six-month period it continues to flout the court judgment.
The spokeswoman added that this would be waived if France was able to show it was compliant.
The controversial Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill, which incorporates criminal penalties, is currently at report stage in the Dáil. The commissioner would not be discussing the details of this legislation with Mr Dempsey, she said.
Fishing industry representatives have been lobbying for an administrative system, similar to that in most member states and one being introduced in Britain.
