Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister well in the negotiations on 18 and 19 December. He has our full support. I know the MEPs will be working closely with him and will provide him with information. He has the best expertise available to him. I agree with the Minister about the mackerel issue. This is a very important fishery worth €100 million. Two countries present serious difficulties, namely, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The European Commission has been talking about trade sanctions for the past 15 months but nothing has happened. There is a proposal for cuts across the board which will be deeper than the 15% cut. The Commission will have to consider trade sanctions against those two countries. The fishing industry is very important in my own constituency. I appeal to the Minister to exert as much pressure as possible on the Commission.