Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister would be neutered and sidelined. If we table a parliamentary question we will be told the Minister has no official responsibility for the matter and can wash his or her hands of it. This is not the way modern democracy should work. We have been elected, and fishermen make up part of the electorate of those of us elected in coastal regions, to speak for the people in Dáil Éireann. Now we are proposing to set up a seafood control manager who would be outside the reach of the publicly elected people in a democracy. This goes too far, and there should be accountability to this House and transparency.

The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher understands the industry and has a feel for it.

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