Mr. Michael Desmond:

Can the committee do something about the issues we raise? It is 18 months since the last time we were here and nothing has changed. All of the points we have made here today we made 18 months ago. The previous committee we were in front of did nothing for us. As the committee is only for fisheries, can it ensure financial support for us? Can members speak to Ministers for Finance and public expenditure and reform before the upcoming budget and say we need something?

When the pollock fishery was lost to us, some of our members stopped fishing as they were dependent on it. A minority were totally dependent on it and those lads are gone now. Can the committee give us an undertaking it will speak to the finance officials for us and deliver a result?