Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Where we are at the moment is that negotiations are ongoing. Ideally people will cop on and we will get a sensible approach because what has been happening is ultimately unsustainable. The fish will be fished unsustainably and will be gone and it will be kaput and it cannot go on. What is important as regards the European position is that we continue to get our line across and do not see our position eroded. I have advocated strongly at European level that we need to look at what steps we can take to increase leverage in relation to other steps. At the moment, let us engage in the co-operative approach and try to bring sense to the equation and get an outcome that is sensible in the long term.