Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There were three years of negotiations. The actual outcome of that was achieved on Christmas Eve. That made clear that authorisations would be required. As I said earlier, the departmental staff were working right up to late on New Year's Eve to get those authorisations out and put in tremendous work within the time involved.

On the Deputy's final point that a no-deal Brexit would have been better for fishermen, we must recognise that one third of our fish were caught in British waters. In the negotiations, we discussed Rockall and other areas and the importance of those fishing waters to our fleet. For example, where would our prawns on the east coast, our haddock, monkfish and megrim be caught if those waters were blocked off to our fishermen? At least the Deputy is being consistent.

I remember taking part in a debate on Highland Radio with Deputy Pringle and Gregory Campbell of the DUP during which the Deputy advocated, in advance of the Brexit vote in the UK, that it should go ahead and do Brexit. At least the Deputy is being consistent in saying now that, somehow, a no-deal outcome might have been preferable.

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