Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

Had this vessel been foreign, the judge would have had discretion about the confiscation of gear and catch. I am aware there is a differentiation between people who are caught fishing illegally in foreign vessels and those who are just caught within the waters. Nonetheless, foreign vessels are treated differently from Irish vessels. It is difficult to comprehend how we can have that anomaly.

In addition, people who are tried and convicted in the Circuit Court have a criminal record. That is serious baggage for any citizen to carry and it causes untold difficulties. It is extremely serious for a young person to have a conviction as a result of a fishery offence. It is a severe way to treat people in this industry. I, as a parent, and parents in general would be slow to encourage their offspring to go into this industry. Parents will encourage their children to seek their livelihood in some other part of the economy where there will be a better and warmer reception for them and a degree of encouragement rather than a system that imposes outrageous penalties for relatively minor offences.

I am aware that we will be given the usual official line that there will be difficulties in Brussels if we do not enact this legislation.

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