Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the opportunity to mention some important things. The first thing relates to fisheries. I appeal to the Minister of State not to leave our fishermen short. Their job is onerous and dangerous at the best of times. There are many in the Dingle Peninsula, Cahersiveen, Castletown Berehaven and all along the Kenmare Estuary. They depend a great deal on fishing. It is the one product that goes up through our village day and night. I am proud to see each load that passes up and glad to see it happening.

As Deputy O'Donoghue said, there is a problem and it has been highlighted. It is about meat-based products, including mincemeat and sausages. That must be sorted out. We must have adequate capacity for live exports and shipping. The Government seems to be saying that it is making progress, but I anticipate there will be queues and problems. These need to be sorted out.

There is supposed to be a problem with spuds and getting spuds from the UK. Let them keep their spuds if they do not want to sell them to us. We can plant our own spuds. Let them stuff Boris with the spuds they have and we will manage fine without their spuds. We are at the right time of the year. The Government should get out now and advertise this. It should tell farmers there is an opening for planting spuds. We are at the right time of the year. Perhaps the Government could assist them by providing seed potatoes or whatever. Now is the time to do it.

I have raised the most important thing in the House before, as has Deputy Michael Collins. We are asking for a bilateral arrangement to allow patients to seek cataract removal in the North of Ireland, where we have been doing this for more than three years. I call on the Government to go into deep discussions to ensure the bilateral arrangement will continue after 31 December. The Government must ensure we will be able to see after people and ensure they will not go blind in the early months of next year. There is only a short timeline between needing the cataract removed urgently and going blind. I appeal to the Minister of State because that is the most important thing in all the talks that needs to be sorted out.

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