Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will not detain the Minister too long. He has very difficult talks ahead at the European Council meeting and negotiations. Every country will be looking for the same thing and that is additional quota in whichever fish species they are interested in. There is expectation and anticipation. With Brexit and the fallout of Brexit, what does the Minister believe will come out of the Council meetings on the back of Brexit now that the British will not be there? Will that make a difference to the talks and negotiations? Every fisherman is hurting. I had a meeting on this in respect of the east coast only last week. There was a debate on my local radio station on Monday morning in this regard. They spoke about the negotiations coming up and what might and might not come out of them. They are all looking for a secure future.

Everybody here thinks it is a very simple job but it is not. It is actually a very difficult job that the Minister has ahead of him and like Deputy Ring, I wish him well. There is a huge amount of work going on in the background at the moment with the Minister's officials. What impact will Brexit have on the negotiations?