Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This motion is very opportune as we struggle towards the Brexit deadline. There is 7,500 km of coastline in Ireland. Ireland's total package of agreed fish quota for 2020 is 195,000 tonnes. This is worth an estimated €275 million to the Irish industry. The fishing industry supports 16,000 jobs including 9,000 directly and 7,000 indirectly.

It was very interesting to note this week that Michel Barnier is very concerned about Ireland's position after Brexit. The EU's chief negotiator on Brexit said "Without a doubt, Ireland is the Member State most affected by Brexit." He also said "the UK has not shown any willingness to seek compromises on fisheries." Ireland needs agreement on the average 34% of Irish landings which are taken from UK waters. This is the voice of the EU but, in what is a box-ticking exercise, the Taoiseach has been adamant that a penalty points system which will cripple our fishing industry is to be introduced through a statutory instrument. My job as a politician is to question why a points system would be forced on our fishermen when they are struggling. The appeals process under this system does not remove the penalty points even if they are not warranted. In conclusion, there must be room for a proper appeals system.

Ireland has a 200-mile fishing zone. This must be protected as it is a very valuable resource for our country. The Common Fisheries Policy for the period 2021 to 2027 states that small-scale coastal fishery regions will receive more beneficial treatment. Surely this is all about Ireland.

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