Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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I have two questions. One is on the fuel subsidy. The Minister has been asked about that and said he cannot apply it here. How is it that the French Government can and that Irish trawlers who fish there have been getting it in France? Surely we are all under the one European umbrella and what is good for them surely should be good for our fishermen who are seriously struggling with massive costs and do not come in under the fuel subsidy schemes for electricity usage, even though they use a massive amount of power?

I also have a question about piers. Allocations to piers was mentioned with Schull getting €123,000, Baltimore getting €139,000 and Courtmacsherry getting €154,000, which is greatly welcomed. There are 250 piers under Cork County Council. Does the Minister have an update on the working piers that need very serious investment ? A breakwater is needed in Baltimore and it is in a special area of conservation, SAC, area. The Department needs to ensure something happens there. Councillor Joe Carroll, a Fianna Fáil councillor, asked me last week to make sure this was brought up in the Dáil, which I have done. There is also the serious issue of the weighing of fish in Baltimore for trawlers that come in there. We were there a couple of weeks ago at a hugely successful launch of Sheehy's massive trawler there. I congratulate them on that investment in a very difficult time. Keelbeg Pier in Union Hall is also a working fishing pier. The Minister has been in Union Hall. These piers need real investment and they are crying out for it.