Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his election. I know the Minister's colleague, the soon-to-be Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, will be assuming responsibilities next week in respect of fisheries and the marine. I would like the Minister to note what I have to say and I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, about this next week face to face.

The scale of the crisis in our seafood industry is unparalleled in the history of the State. I spoke to one of the leading representatives of the industry today. I visited Killybegs Harbour a number of times, most recently late last year. I was shocked to see the decline of the industry. As the Minister knows, in that south-west area of Donegal they built up a pelagic industry that employed thousands of people. It is in serious decline. A lot of it is our own doing in this State. I would say confidently that the level of regulation and oversight of our fishing and seafood industry from the SFPA is unparalleled anywhere else in Europe. If we look at the landings data, between 2022 and 2024 in Killybegs there was a huge drop in landings, not just for Irish vessels but for foreign vessels. The foreign vessels are voting with their feet but the Irish vessels are going elsewhere too. They do not face the same crazy bureaucracy at harbours elsewhere in Europe as they face in Killybegs. It is really hurting the industry, as is the lack of a strategy, even the lack of honesty. The industry tells me the data published by Bord Iascaigh Mhara is no reflection of the decline of the industry. All you need to do is visit the harbours. I mentioned Killybegs but I could go to Greencastle in my own peninsula of Inishowen, I could work my way down to Ros an Mhíl, Castletownbere, Dunmore East, right around to Clogherhead and all the harbours and piers. Just talk to the industry.

This is a tragedy. We are surrounded by the richest fishing waters in Europe, in fact, some of the richest fishing waters in the world. How can it be that we have an industry in decline in those circumstances? I ask the Minister as senior Minister, working with his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to meet with the industry, have a reset and a new focus. Talk to the Department of the marine and to Bord Iascaigh Mhara and let us turn this around.

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