Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There has been widespread outrage at the actions of the Sea-Fisheries Protection Agency, SFPA, in Killybegs over recent weeks. These actions have cost the local fishing community a huge amount of income and many workers have lost their livelihoods. It has forced some fishing vessels to turn away from Killybegs, never to return, and others have turned fish for human consumption into fish meal. Two fishing vessels were forced to land in Derry and then to have their catch transported to Killybegs for processing. If that was not bad enough, the SFPA has now removed in-factory weighing permits from the two fish factories in Killybegs on the basis "the SFPA remains of the view that the landing took place outside of Ireland". Does the Minister regard Derry as being outside of Ireland? Is he going to allow the SFPA to put a hard border on the island of Ireland and punish our fishermen and fish producers for daring to challenge this madness and trying to earn a livelihood for themselves?

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