Dáil debates

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

Covid-19 (Agriculture, Food and the Marine): Statements

 

2:40 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise two very important issues with the Minister under the fisheries heading. First, as the Minister is aware, the tie-up scheme last year was seen right across the fishing sector as too little too late and there was a very low take-up. The affected fishers right across the coast did not get the financial assistance they required.

The Minister introduced an aquaculture support scheme. Will he revisit the whole issue this year, particularly in respect of the inshore fishermen, who have had a huge hit on the markets, as the Minister will know well from Donegal, and have been really struggling financially? Outside of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, they have not received the support that they need. Will the Minister revisit the financial supports for the inshore and the offshore fishing sectors and will he amend the Covid-19 aquaculture scheme? I am aware that the Minister has been engaging with the IFA aquaculture section on this issue. Will he amend and strengthen that scheme? I am aware, for example, of fishers in Donegal who because they are only starting their sales in 2020 missed out on availing of that scheme. This is a critical support and I ask that the Minister would revise that scheme in terms of the financial supports?

I also must raise with the Minister the reports carried in The Irish Timesin recent days which are deeply worrying which refer to a very significant reduction in quota for our fishers by the European Commission. Thousands of tonnes in quota loss have been mentioned and tens of millions of euros of EU funding may also be lost to the State. The Minister will be aware that there is great alarm in our fishing sector at these reports. I understand that the fishermen and the producers, especially in Killybegs, seriously dispute what is being reported. They are deeply worried and there has been a significant hit on the quota. The industry has asked the Minister to go back and to fight for additional quota and for burden-sharing and he has said that he will do that. People are very suspicious as to why this reported additional huge cut to the quota is out now in the public domain. Is there an attempt to silence the industry and to prevent fishermen from uniting together around our coasts to demand our fair share of the fish in our seas?

As to the issues in Killybegs, I am aware, and it seems very reasonable to me, that whenever a catch is weighed, the water would be deducted. The water is essential for the sustenance of the fish to keep them fresh, to get them into the factories, and to be able to export them. This is an industry that people have worked so hard to build. My understanding is, and it is very reasonable, that there needs to be a removal of the water weight that is essential for the protection of the fish and to weigh it accurately. They have devised a system there, which is of a National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, approved standard. I am appealing to the Minister to intervene to ensure that the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, SFPA, reaches an agreement with the fishing industry there.

To summarise my question on this point, will the Minister appeal this decision, if it is a decision of the European Commission, to ensure there is no reduction in quota? Will he defend the arguments the fishing community are making in Killybegs around this issue? We cannot tolerate this as we need additional, not less, quota and I ask the Minister to intervene urgently.

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