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

I thank Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. Obviously, we in this country wanted a Brexit deal to be agreed. It is certain that nobody here wanted a hard border. We did not, however, want a deal at the cost at which it has come for certain sectors. I put the blame for how the Irish fishing sector has been affected firmly on the Irish Government.

I have consistently called on the Government to be straight with the fisheries sector and the public as to why it sold out the entire sector during Brexit negotiations. The Government and its Ministers have attempted to downplay the impact on, and damage to, the Irish fisheries sectors through constant spin. For instance, on Christmas Eve, the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, claimed that the total loss to Irish fishermen would be €34 million following the agreed Brexit deal. The Minister shockingly spun this to suggest that it somehow represented a fair deal. Not only is the Minister's position astonishing, but it also represents a deep betrayal of the entire sector and every coastal community.

The latest analysis released by officials in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine illustrates how out of touch the Minister really is on this issue, as are all Ministers for that matter. The preliminary analysis now confirms that the transfer of quota shares from Ireland is a staggering 27% higher than the Minister initially announced. The official report indicates a total loss to Ireland's fishermen of €43 million by 2026, with the mackerel sector, which is the most vulnerable element of the Irish fleet, hardest hit. This sector faces a 26% cut in quota share, which is worth €28.6 million. Approximately 60% of this cut will emerge in 2021 so the impact will be felt immediately. The enormity of the difference between what the Minister stated and the actual figures merits a full investigation. Such gross incompetence is intolerable and will cost thousands of jobs as it ends livelihoods around the coast.

I pleaded with the Minister, with the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, and with the Taoiseach in the run-up to this deal to get involved with the negotiator, Michel Barnier. Unfortunately, while Emmanuel Macron was fully involved in negotiations in terms of what was going on, our Deputies and Ministers were completely out of touch and they have now done a shocking deal. The deal on Irish fish represents a dreadful loss to Ireland. I again put on the record of the Dáil that I have called for a minister for fisheries. I have been ignored and so has the fishing community of Ireland. History will show that this Government has sold our waters and our Irish fish again. Unfortunately, I have run out of time. I wanted to talk about the cross-border directive. Perhaps other Deputies might get a chance to do so.

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