Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I do not think they are traitors. It has more to do with the foreign invaders that we have less fish stocks than before. There is a logic to the Garda management executive board being included in this legislation. The Minister has said that unless we get the management of the Garda Síochána right it could hamper the fight against crime, so the more effectively it is managed, the better. However, there is nothing in this part of the Bill that relates to gangland crime or drug dealing. It concerns fisheries. Last year, following the highly controversial Sea Fisheries (Maritime Jurisdiction) Act, the Government promised to work with the industry to ensure that it could flourish in future, but that has not happened. The inclusion of this provision is a disgrace. There has been no consultation with the fishing industry, not that there was any consultation on most of this Bill anyway. The Minister should withdraw the measure, return it to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, who first landed it in his lap, and tell him to do his own dirty work.

The Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, should introduce his own legislation and fight it out with the fishing industry spokespersons and Deputies representing coastal communities. Those areas have been suffering because of the EU fisheries policy and this State's failure to protect our fishing stocks against foreign invaders and the few within the Irish industry who cut corners and abuse the system. The majority of fishermen are eking out a living but they deserve a lot more consideration and support from the Government. In recent months, however, all they seem to get is more and more criminalisation of their industry and their livelihoods.

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