James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Coming back to what I said earlier in respect of what we are capable of achieving as a committee, some people think we can cure the world and more. We are not going to be able to do that. This is a republic, however, and we have values. This goes to the core of what we stand for as a republic. We have to address this issue in so far as we can. Somebody mentioned the issue of unfair competition. This will be like a cancer eating through those people who are upholding the law and giving decent conditions. They will not be able to compete.

That brings me to the wider point. We have influence, perhaps not as a committee, but as a Government. What are conditions like in other fishing nations? How prevalent is this in the Spanish fleet, for example, or in any other large fleet? Sorting this out may very well have further ramifications and implications for the wider EU. I am not using that as any kind of negative. I am just saying that we will do our bit here and let the consequences flow to wherever they will.