Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I am conscious we do not have a large number of members here yet, so I will ask one final question, if I may. There has been a failure to take any action in the last five years. Every single year that the fish producers have come before this committee to discuss the sustainability impact assessment, the issue of mackerel overfishing has been flagged. It has certainly been flagged for the last three years, from my recollection. Last year, there was a cut to the mackerel quota. The Hague preferences softened that somewhat for us but we can see the trajectory we are on here.

Whatever about taking sanctions against countries and having some kind of trade battle between third countries, surely the European Commission can take action against rogue fishing corporations that have overfished recklessly. Whatever about countries, these are corporations. For example, we have the Apple tax. We have €13 billion that came to the State because of practices that were found to be illegal. What has been done about fishing corporations that are operating between countries, recklessly ignoring science and destroying a resource for our people?

Obviously, we will have the Minister of State before us in the next session. I am not asking for a response because the witnesses can see I have a firm view that the European Commission has utterly failed to take action against rogue corporations that operate between countries and states and avail of international trade. Mr. Rihan rightly said that, legally, they can move from country to country. I accept that, but they are involved in reckless overfishing that has done incalculable damage to our community. I will probe that with the Minister of State. I will come in with another round of questions in a minute.