Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The transmission of communications is mainly what this amendment is about.

Any improvements in communication should be welcomed, as long as it is not communication to provide more difficulties for fishermen. A number of months ago, there was an attempted ramming of an Irish fishing vessel by a Spanish trawler near Castletownbere and there was no communication whatsoever available for the fishermen. It was a terrible experience. It took between 12 to 16 hours before the trawler that was causing the issue and fishing illegally was impeded. Communication is a major issue. It looks as if we are going to improve communication when it comes to imposing penalty points on a fisherman and that is the reason for the proposed amendments. I would like the Minister to explain if there is any other way improvements in communications can be made along these lines to save the lives of fisherman and ensure that when they are threatened at sea by another boat that is illegally fishing that safeguards are in place. We do not want to hear afterwards the Taoiseach denying he knew anything about it, everybody running scared and nobody giving a straight answer. I would like the focus of the amendments to be on communications and safeguarding Irish fishermen.