The decision by the European Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, to link agriculture and fisheries together under one brief in his new cabinet has been criticised by the Fianna Fail MEP for Connacht-Ulster, Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher.
Mr Gallagher, who was a member of the outgoing fisheries committee in the last European Parliament, said he was disappointed at the move, and hoped this would not mean that fisheries took second place in the implementation of EU policy. However, the Connacht-Ulster MEP said he took comfort from the fact that the job had been given to the outgoing Austrian commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler. The Italian, Ms Emma Bonino, had held fisheries as one of several briefs in the previous commission.
One of Mr Fischler's first tasks will be to prepare for a review of the controversial EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
"During the recent Common Agricultural Policy reforms, Mr Fischler listened to the arguments of the Irish Government and Irish farming groups, and I hope that he is equally open with the Irish fishing industry during the next two-and-a-half years in the run-up to CFP reform in 2002," Mr Gallagher said.
