Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is a good time to be debating the European Council meeting, given that so much is dependent on a resolution to the Brexit negotiations. The Minister is well aware, given his own constituency, of the negative effects of Brexit on Irish agriculture. A recent report from the Central Bank indicates that beef and sheep farmers will be the most economically vulnerable and that up to one third of Irish farmers could be forced out of business.

I am also very worried about the negotiations on fishing rights in Europe at this time. I raised this matter last week with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. I asked, in the context of the 18% figure referred to by Mr. Michel Barnier in his negotiations with the UK, where that percentage of the catch was coming from. They failed to give me an answer but it is quite clear that these fish will be coming from Irish waters. I asked the Taoiseach today why the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is not involved in these negotiations and he told me that I cannot expect all 27 states to get involved but I certainly do expect the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to be involved. Irish fish will be taken out of our waters, our seas will be attacked and our Taoiseach will stand idly by and allow that to happen. We stand to lose 18% of our fish or possibly more. God only knows what is on the table right now but we have no Minister at the table. The other member states are not offering their fish. The French, Spanish and others are fishing in our waters because they have no fish in their own waters. They are taking our fish and now we are handing more over. We have done this for decades without any consideration of Irish fishermen. I called for a minister for fisheries during the negotiations to form a Government but that call was rejected and we are going to pay a heavy price in this country for that.

Finally, I wish to speak about the EU cross-border directive which was also raised by Deputies O'Donoghue and Brendan Smith. The cross-Border healthcare initiative is excellent. Obviously the ideal cure for all of these things is in our own jurisdiction but that is not happening. The Taoiseach said earlier today that approximately 7,000 people crossed the Border for healthcare. We need a seamless transition vis-à-visthat scheme. We cannot have a situation where there is a different wording and people are left waiting for longer. People are suffering; they are going blind and are living in pain. We need the cross-border directive to continue to function. I accept that it is an EU directive but we need a new initiative to be put in place so that people from the Republic of Ireland can go to the North and have procedures carried out to save their eyesight. That must continue and I ask the Minister to clarify the matter. Some Fine Gael politicians have said that it is sorted and that we are wasting our time jumping up and down about it. Other Ministers are saying that it is not sorted and I respect what they are saying. I do not think it is sorted but it might be sorted in the days ahead. I would appreciate a comment from the Minister on that.

See this speech in context