Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have to see first of all what is in the agreement. What the British are looking for in terms of access to waters and their demand, which has been commented upon publicly, to retain 80% of what the EU vessels would catch would have a very significant impact on our fishing fleet. The point that we have made at all times is that there is much more to the Brexit and future relationship negotiations than fisheries, although fisheries has been one of the most contested aspects. It is crucial that those other aspects are taken in the round and that the other parts of the free trade agreement are tied in to it. In that regard, if the British or the UK want access to energy markets, for example, in the EU, common access to waters and the sharing of fishing stocks is equally important for us as energy may be for them. This needs to be a rounded and balanced free trade agreement in seeing that it protects our interests as to fish stocks, quotas and access to waters.