Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

The industry is worth €750 million and there are 12,000 employed therein. It operates almost exclusively in areas where other economic opportunities are not readily available. We cannot allow the opportunity that presents itself to pass. The Government's silence is deafening on the proposal that we match, euro for euro, the packages made available to fishermen by other exchequers. This silence is extremely disappointing and the Opposition will not accept a package, presented by the Minister on his return from Brussels, that does not ensure a level playing pitch.

The Government's amendment removes, in one fell swoop, all reference to a level playing pitch in dealing with sanctions for breaches of fishery legislation. All the fine words by the Government to the Federation of Irish Fishermen and the producer organisations will not wash with them as a consequence. The Government insults the intelligence of fishermen and their families by saying the regime in place is required to protect fish stocks and the long-term future of coastal communities and to seek to avoid financial penalties being imposed on the State and the Irish taxpayer. Shame on the Minister of State; this is not factually correct. The senior Minister, Deputy Smith, took the same terminology verbatim from the same word processor.

The European Commission is interested in the conservation of our stocks. So, too, are fishermen who depend on the stocks as they comprise the lifeblood of their industry. However, the Commission never stated fishermen should be criminalised for minor breaches of fishing legislation.

See this speech in context