Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am also very grateful for the education that I have received here today from the witnesses. I thank them very much for being so informative and being so well up on what is happening and what is not happening.

Regarding Mr. Greg Casey's argument about fishing inside the baseline, I would also be of the opinion that anyone fishing inside the baseline should not be criminalised because he is in his own property. Europe should not be consulted on that matter at all. It should be up to our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to ensure we hold whatever fish are inside the baseline and let local fishermen be allowed fish away within it.

I am very concerned about the culling of 30 out of 176 vessels. I should have said at the very start that is 20%. We all know what culling means. It means getting rid of them. I am not in favour of that and we must all join together to ensure that does not happen.

On the review that is taking place, again I say to the Minister that we have to get more fair play. The fishermen of south-west Cork, Dingle and Fenit must be given the 14% increase in the amount of tonnes they are looking for, because it is only fair play.

We will all have to work together on the bigger problem of Brexit. This is more than work for one man, this is team work for many people. There will have to be a team effort from the Minister and his team to ensure that if England does take back her waters, the Irish fishing fleet will not be put under undue pressure by fishermen from other countries. We mentioned the Spanish because they are the most dominant, but we will have to ensure the survival of our fishermen is our priority. We will have to look after them 100%.

I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee.