Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

The decision was made before most of the fishermen from Donegal and Cork were able to set foot in Dublin yesterday to protest. It was made by Cabinet and not before the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. This is not indicative of consultation.

If an adequate compensation package had been put on the table, a voluntary buy-out would have worked. I discovered this on speaking to the fishermen, including drift net fishermen.

We have alienated an entire coastal community that is otherwise alienated as a result of a decline in the industry, pelagic boats being tied up in Killybegs, crabmen in Downings having to go to Holland to fish——