Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

As a representative of a maritime county, I am delighted to have an opportunity to say a few words as part of this debate. I acknowledge the work of Deputies Creed and Sheahan, who have given us an opportunity to discuss the fishing industry this evening. The potential of the industry to benefit this country has not been tapped — instead, it has been neglected. There was a time when this country was not prepared to make the most of its fish stocks. I refer to the era when most fishermen went to sea one day a week. We abandoned our fishing industry in 1973, more or less, because we did not have the resources to maximise its potential. We sold out to concentrate on the greater prospects offered by the agriculture sector. Many European countries, some of which are landlocked, saw the potential of Ireland's fishing grounds. They were aware that we were not in a position to exploit that potential ourselves.

The fishing industry is important in the context of healthy eating, which is being promoted by the Government. Almost every nutritionist recommends fish as a critical part of a balanced diet. They suggest that one should eat fish three or four days a week, rather than just one or two days a week.

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