Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I take Mr. Hoctor's point but we are talking about competition on open markets where one company has to compete against another, and we see that with state aid rules across all sectors and businesses. If a company in France, Spain or wherever has to buy fish on the open market and another company in Ireland gets quota, which comes from the State, that has the potential to be considered a state aid under European law and therefore blocked from being considered by the Government. That is the first thing that strikes me.

In terms of being able to access mackerel, is there an open market where someone can purchase mackerel? What is the issue around that? Is there no avenue for actually getting it or is it the case that the price is too high?