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

The Irish fishing industry was worth €1.2 billion prior to the Brexit trade deal and created 16,000 jobs scattered around coastal communities. The Irish fishing industry cut 60% of its mackerel in UK waters but the new negotiated deal means we will be reduced to approximately 13%. This deal is completely negative for Ireland. For instance, Belgium and Spain will lose less than 1,000 tonnes per annum in the pelagic sector, while Ireland will lose a staggering 23,496 tonnes. Surely, this shows the Irish Government was asleep at the wheel during recent negotiations. The Taoiseach said the deal, after it was signed, would impact negatively on our fishing industry, while President Macron announced the deal done by Mr. Michel Barnier was good for French fishermen. What exactly is the deal that was done with regard to Irish fishing? For the sake of Irish fishing industry and the thousands of rural coastal jobs, please do not announce another decommissioning scheme as every Irish fisherman wants to fish the waters like they always have.

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