Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I realise the Minister has a limited amount to spend and that €1.5 million will not go far among the many fishermen affected. Will he, however, prioritise giving the maximum help to those who most need it, namely, the smaller guys? It looks to me that the guy who is better off with his larger boat and who can probably better take the knock is getting more help than the guy with the smaller boat, the one who suffered the most in the storms. The Minister has made the point that he has decided what moneys will be distributed. Obviously, there will be no money left over from the initial allocation; therefore, I appeal for the application of fairness. Without a shadow of doubt, the bigger one is, the more power and influence one has the greater the chance of getting a fair deal. The smaller one is, the more challenging it is. Will the Minister seek to bring more fairness to the scheme?

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