The Executive Chair of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, Paschal Hayes, has retired from his position before the end of his term.
In a statement, the SFPA said Mr Hayes is stepping down after almost 45 years of service across the civil and public service. It confirmed he had notified the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, of his intention to retire before the expiration of his term in March.
Mr Hayes’ term had been due to run until January 2029.
The statement also noted that Conor McGuinness, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, has written to Mr Hayes on behalf of the Committee to wish him well in his retirement.
The development comes as the SFPA has been appearing before the Committee in recent months as part of its examination of Ireland’s fisheries protection regime.
While the Authority has confirmed the retirement and acknowledged Mr Hayes’ long public service, no further details have been provided regarding the reasons for his decision to step down before the end of his term.
The SFPA has appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs on a number of occasions in recent months, including in November 2025 and again in April 2026, as part of ongoing scrutiny of Ireland’s fisheries protection system. The Committee is expected to report on its findings in the coming weeks.
