Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)

While I understand that every sector of the economy is currently experiencing major difficulties, hardship for the fishermen of west Kerry is nothing new. They are resilient people. Long before the impact of the current global credit crisis, spiralling unemployment rate and economic recession, the fishermen of west Kerry were experiencing severe problems in nearly every aspect of their work. If we see a continuation of the current trend of increasing unemployment among these fishermen, we will see not only the end of a livelihood but the slow erosion of an ancient way of life.

Morale among the men from west Kerry who continue to engage in full-time fishing is now at an all-time low. From speaking to these fishermen as I carry out my work in the constituency, I appreciate the palpable sense of anger, dismay and disillusion. Their anger is understandable. Jobs in the fishing industry are being shed at an alarming rate. Just a few years ago, 15 boats were operating on a full-time basis out of the quaint fishing village of Baile na nGall. Now there are only two boats, and these operate on a part-time basis.

I must mention the division of the additional mackerel quota that was allocated recently by the Minister. Factories dependent on these fishermen have suffered due to a sharp decline in activity in the local primary sector. We have seen these factories cut their workforces considerably, adding more and more people to the live register in the local area social welfare office in Dingle. Incidentally, there was an increase of 89% in the number of people signing on in the Dingle office between January 2007 and January 2009. Many of these people were previously employed locally in the fishing industry.

In the case of Baile na nGall, many of the former fishermen who are now out of work were previously dependent on salmon fishing. These men lost their livelihoods because of policy changes, but due to an appalling lack of action from the State and its agencies no replacement jobs have been created in the area. The impact on the area has been massive. The ending of salmon fishing in Baile na nGall has affected nearly every household in the village and the surrounding townlands. Now, unemployment is the harsh reality for people who were previously involved in catching, processing, landing, selling and transporting the fish.

The people of Baile na nGall need to know what the State will do to help them recover from this enormous blow. They seem to have been forgotten and their anger is totally understandable and justified. One fisherman recently suggested to me that there was an opening for marketing bass angling on a year-round basis but feels there is no State support to show him where to take his idea. Another man suggested the need for cold storage units to take mackerel to markets but does not know where to start. There is a general sense of helplessness that needs to be addressed.

I must address the issue of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority. Speaking recently to fishermen who operate out of Dingle, I found that a system of double standards was a major source of discontent. Dingle fishermen claim they are being made to feel like criminals as they try to make a living. They claim that our authorities are making their lives difficult by taking issue with the most trivial of matters. At the same time, there are claims that the crews of foreign registered fishing vessels are effectively operating as they please, with little or no inspection or scrutiny. One anecdotal report that was relayed to me suggests that on one day last summer, a Spanish boat unloaded more than 1,000 boxes of fish in Dingle, with no officers or inspectors present. Later the same day, an Irish boat that was landing two boxes of fish had major difficulties with an inspector who had travelled from Kilkenny and attempted to confiscate the catch. Apparently, the only fault of the Irish skipper was that he had omitted the letter "P" when including his licence number on his paperwork.

This type of bureaucracy is the reason the referendum on the Lisbon treaty was rejected by people in rural and coastal areas. We have been warned at meetings of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by representatives of one fishing organisation that its members will campaign strongly for a second rejection of the treaty because of this degree of red tape. This type of story is not uncommon. I have been told of foreign registered boats using illegal nets that cover miles of Irish waters, sweeping everything in their paths, with no regard for the law and no intervention from the authorities.

Investment in fishing is another issue of concern. Several miles to the north of Dingle, in Brandon, local fishermen have been calling for an extension to their pier for many years. The existing pier is no longer able to serve the needs of the community. These fishermen are getting the run-around from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Kerry County Council and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. At a public meeting on the issue recently, fishermen expressed their anger and disappointment at the disgraceful lack of progress in the past decade. Perhaps the Minister will investigate this matter and will arrange to meet representatives of the group. There seems to be a serious lack of co-ordination between the aforementioned three bodies on this issue. Ultimately, the fishermen of west Kerry need to know the State is on their side, not working against them. Conditions are difficult enough for these fishermen given quota limitations, spiralling overhead costs and the ever present danger of the sea. They need to know that the State recognises the importance and values the contribution of this indigenous industry. They must see tangible efforts to improve their way of life.

The issues I have outlined are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems affecting fishermen in west Kerry. Serious attention must be given to their concerns and to the concerns of the Irish fishing industry in general. There must be recognition that fishing, despite the major difficulties being faced by Irish fishermen, represents a lucrative potential source of employment for the people of this country. At present, I do not see that recognition from the Government. This must change if we are to see progress in the industry.

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