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

On Monday last, at a meeting of Cork County Council meeting, the order of business was suspended to discuss another Irish fishing industry crisis in the term of this Government. Fishing boats in Castletownbere, Union Hall and other piers in County Cork are staying tied to the pier as fishermen cannot afford to fuel their trawlers and boats. One councillor stated that he was told by a fisherman that to go out for his catch for the week would cost him €42,000 in fuel. It just did not pay. They watch French and Spanish fishermen fish in Irish waters and their governments have subsidised their fuel by 30 cent per litre through this crisis. Many fishermen have accepted that there is no future in the fishing industry. The Government promised a decommissioning fund but it has been kicked down the road continuously. Can the Minister tell me the exact date the decommissioning fund will be available to struggling fishermen?

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