Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the amendments. I fully support the three amendments in this grouping, which do exactly what the Members who proposed them have said. It is acting reasonably. The least that fishermen should expect from the State is to change this and to work within “a reasonable doubt” rather than “the balance of probabilities”, as it currently stands. It is not beyond the realm of possibility for the Department to establish a body that would meet and discuss this. The method of allocating the points could be done “beyond a reasonable doubt” just as well, which is an important point.

Much reference has been made to the debates we had in the last Dáil, where this process was rejected by the whole Dáil and in particular by the Fianna Fáil party. I am reminded of a book that I read as a young fellow, That Was Then, This Is Now. That is really what the difference is. Fianna Fáil was on this side of the House when it was put forward, and now it is on the other side of the House and it has to do the exact opposite. That is a telling point in regard to this whole situation. It seems that despite everything people do in opposition, they can forget about it when they go into government because government is different; that is the way it is and we are all supposed to accept that. I do not believe that is the way it should be or can be. It requires the political system to have the strength to stand up and be counted, but I do not feel that is happening here.

In response to these amendments, the Minister will probably say they have met all the requirements and, therefore, it is not the same as what was proposed previously. In reality, it is, and that is how it is going to work out. I want to offer my full support on these amendments, which are vital. Even at this late stage, the Department could withdraw this, come back and provide for “beyond a reasonable doubt” to be included as it will achieve the same thing. That is what is important overall.

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