Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending. My questions will be in the same vein as those asked by some other committee members. When many Members of the Oireachtas who are not members of this committee feel it is important to add their voices, it shows the significance of and frustration around this issue.

I have been an elected politician for almost 20 years. In my political career, I have never known fishers to be so annoyed as they are by the recent proposal. All of the people in the industry who sent me emails and made phone calls said that they were fully compliant with the new regulations, they were heavily regulated by the SFPA, there had been major changes over the past ten, 15 or 20 years - they were not happy with all of those changes, but they waded in behind them - and their costs had increased. Now, they are being asked to weigh their fish on the pier. There are good reasons not to do that. This issue has annoyed those in the industry. If something is not done by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and common sense does not prevail, fishers will take drastic action that will force the Department into going back to allowing them to weigh in factories.

I will give the example of Kilmore pier in south County Wexford. It is a large pier and sees a considerable amount of fishing activity. If every fisher is asked to weigh fish on the pier, a health and safety issue will arise. The pier is accessible to the general public, including children. Fishers could instead travel less than 500 m up the road to the processors or factories.

I agree with Deputy Mac Lochlainn. How many processors and factories have been prosecuted over the past one, five, ten or 20 years because of a weighing issue? One sector is being pitted against another. Some sectors are blaming another for what is happening across the board. This is having an impact that is annoying to the industry.

The Minister is aware that Ireland is known for its quality, fresh fish. Weighing fish on the quayside will take that status away from us. The quality will not be as good and the fish will not be as fresh. Many of the boats go out in the morning and come back in the evening. Since they do not have refrigeration units on their boats, they take their fish to the factory where the fish can be fully refrigerated, everything is done well and the quality of the fish can be preserved.

I urge the Minister to listen to the industry and what members of the committee are saying and to reverse this decision. He has said that it is out of his hands, but he must stand up for the industry.