Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I come from a fishing background and I am acutely aware of the politicisation of the industry going right back to 1972 when the fishing constituencies in this country were sold out in the negotiation on entering the European Union, which was then the European Economic Community. From the figures, I note that €98.73 million went to the RSW sector last year and €24.056 million to the polyvalent sector. Twenty-three boats are sharing almost €99 million. It is estimated that this will rise to €110 million for 2017, again to be shared by 23 boats, with the smallest part of the cake being divided up between 27 boats.

The biggest argument anybody can make about sharing a natural asset like fish is how it is distributed, and that has to be for the common good. When we distribute to maintain communities and fishing villages throughout the country, whether at Fenit, Dingle, Killybegs, Burtonport, Howth or anywhere else, we as elected representatives must try to ensure those communities survive. In trying to ensure that, it is necessary to apply positive discrimination in favour of those most in need. What they are asking for in the south west and the Daingean Uí Chúis area is very small at 10,000 tonnes for the fleet while they are giving back 2,500 tonnes to the whitefish fleet. Every sector is gaining as a result of that proposal. What I find very difficult to understand is how a boat averaging more than 4 million a year in a constituency is disputing a share of that 10,000 tonnes of mackerel.

I was in Donegal only the day after Martin McGuinness was buried. I was right up the coast and down into Killybegs as well. There are areas of Donegal that are suffering too. Most areas in Donegal are suffering but there is one which is doing really well and that is the refrigerated sea water, RSW, area. I cannot understand for the life of me why people cannot have that generosity of heart in a negotiation to ensure the survival of the industry right across the island. Maybe I come from a different background from people like that, but I cannot understand it. We fished and applied quota in Tralee Bay for the oyster fishing with the result that we all came out equal and saved the industry which has prospered ever since and is still one of the best managed in the country. That is because we did it ourselves. I hope Ms Parke will use her influence in the sector she represents here to try to ensure all of us survive.

Mr. Murphy made a contribution on decommissioning, which I have been blue in the face from arguing against. Once boats are decommissioned, which is a policy driven by successive Governments, it takes an income away from the community in which the boat was decommissioned. It puts more people on the live register and ensures less money is circulating in that community. When that happens, there is a knock-on effect on small shopkeepers, local bar owners, oil suppliers and so on. They are gone as a consequence of that. It is necessary for us as legislators to ensure fairness in order that the weaker parts of our community which are most in need are facilitated to survive. I hope Ms. Parke will use her influence to ensure that comes about.