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

I thank the Minister. There are other issues I need to talk about. The inshore sector for crabs and shrimps has collapsed and many inshore fishermen are in a dire crisis. We met representatives of the inshore fishing sector at committee recently. The Minister said he will be meeting with them but what does he intend to achieve by that meeting? They have mortgages to pay and food to put on the table. They have not caught brown crab or shrimp in months. They are facing a serious crisis. They feel the talking should have been done and want delivery now of some package for their survival. Why has the Minister not tapped into the European fuel fund like every other European country, including Spain and others?

I also want to talk about piers. The Minister mentioned the pier at Killybegs, which is hugely important. I was there last Saturday morning. From what I heard from a Government person below there, all the money has dried up. They are hoping to have a meeting. Live horse and you will get grass, but that is not going to work for the people of Killybegs, who have been suffering for a long time. The Minister has been there, as was the Tánaiste when he was Taoiseach. What are they all doing? They are only going up the road and have nothing delivered. It is the same pier as ever and not one extra block has been laid on it. Everybody is blaming everybody else and nobody is sitting around the table and talking. That is all that needed to be done in the first place.

There is no quota for Irish fishermen in respect of the bluefin tuna.

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