Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

The Minister of State and I have had a number of engagements at the committee and at a number of different events. I echo Deputy Mac Lochlainn's wishes for him. I do not think I could wish more for success for him. This is crucial. Our industry and the coastal communities it sustains are facing existential crises. I really hope the Minister of State does well and succeeds, and that he can deliver on the items he has been raising over the last few months as he begins this role. The Government must finally give coastal communities the respect and support they deserve and bring an end to decades of neglect, mismanagement and policy failure in the fishing and maritime sectors.

The findings of Sinn Féin's fisheries and seafood survey are devastating and show the devastation. Sadly, as I mentioned earlier to the Minister of State, they are not surprising and nobody is shocked, no matter how shocking they actually are. Across the country we heard from fishermen and fisherwomen, processors, harbour workers, coastal communities and fishing families. The stories are truly heartbreaking. They speak of deep frustration and fear, not just about today but about the future. They do not believe this Government has their back. That is the truth of it. If we look at the events of recent decades, we cannot fault them for believing that. This was once a proud and thriving industry. It sustained whole communities for generations but what was handed down with pride is now being lost with despair. As Deputy Mac Lochlainn said, 90% of people engaging in fishing do not want their children to enter the industry. That is the most telling statistic in our report.

The Government tells us broadly that things are fine because BIM is issuing reports that tell us all is well in the industry. The Minister of State said he welcomed the certainty that the EU-Britain trade deal brings but certain loss is effectively what we have. It locks in the loss of 26% of Ireland's fishing opportunity and a financial hit of €800 million at current prices, doubtless to go up over the lifetime of the agreement. It is not certainty. I believe it is an act of surrender. We have an eighth of European fishing grounds and just 6% of the quota. Coastal communities that once depended on fishing, from Ros an Mhíl to Waterford, from Castletown to Greencastle, they know it. They are despondent, lack hope and have little faith in Government to change course.

I am asking the Minister of State to do three things. First, to recognise the true value of Ireland's fishing industry, not just economically but socially and culturally. It is not just an economic sector, it is a way of life.

The second thing I am asking the Minister of State to do is to show respect for those who go to sea. The fishers, crews, processors, harbour staff and families who work and live with the risk and hardship deserve support and not spin and hand-wringing, if we are being honest. The third thing I am asking the Minister of State to do is to assert Ireland's national interest in this area. Within the EU and every international forum, we must fight for fair treatment and fair quota share. We are an island nation with some of the richest waters in Europe and we should be treated accordingly. We should have the same right to benefit from our waters as other EU member states and, indeed, third countries.

In totality, we need an ambitious and assertive national fisheries policy. This means a fair share of quota for Irish vessels, serious investment in ports and harbour infrastructure, including local authority harbours like Cé Heilbhic, and a strategic attitude to seafood production and promotion. I am not talking about one-off grants but a long-term plan to rebuild the industry and the communities around it. We must also ensure that coastal and island communities are included and not excluded in the transition to offshore renewables. Marine spatial planning must respect fishing and not displace it. Above all, we need a change in culture and attitude at the heart of Government. The fishing industry and our maritime resource can no longer be treated as an afterthought.

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