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

While at the European Council, I hope the Minister of State took the opportunity to discuss the fishing crisis in this country, which has long been overlooked here by successive Ministers. As I have said before, having a dedicated Minister for the marine appears to be off the agenda. We certainly need a focused new-style leadership for the fishing industry in this country. Our greatest resource is surrounding us and we are handing it away to every European country that wants its quota. There is an opportunity to get a bluefin tuna quota. Every other European country can apply for it and get it. Why can the Irish not get some bluefin tuna quota? What deals has the Government done out there? What nodding and winking is going on out there in Europe to sell the fishermen down the Swanee? All the fishermen know it. The best thing the Government can come up with is decommissioning.

I listened to the Taoiseach's statements at the COP26. This COP26 is farcical. He committed more than €200 million of taxpayers' money without the consent of this State. The people living on the breadline in this country are furious. The Taoiseach is splashing money left, right and centre while the Indians, Chinese, Russians and Australians are falling over laughing. He could have stayed talking from here until eternity if he lived for another 50 years and, in a couple of hours, they would switch it like that regardless of what we do here.

We in this country are suffering. The Green Party, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will know about it because the people I meet on the doorsteps are furious. They cannot take any more. The Government has pushed them very close to the edge and they will remind Government Members about throwing more than €200 million so that others can spend our hard-earned money for this codology that is going on out there at present. There are ways and means of achieving climate change, but the Government is certainly going about it the wrong way. The Taoiseach claimed there will be no culling of cattle as far as he is concerned, but there certainly will be.

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