Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I wish to raise the issue of the announcement today by the Sea Fisheries Protection Agency of the number of vessels apprehended in Irish waters in the first quarter of this year. I ask the Leader to either have a debate on this issue or to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Mary Coughlan, to examine this serious situation. Out of 14 vessels arrested, 13 were Irish and one was French. A total of 14 other vessels had shots fired over their bow, to use a pun, in so far as they were let off with a warning.

Some of the boats were arrested in west Cork, Dublin, Galway and so on. The existence of an apartheid situation is a matter of deep concern to myself and fishermen throughout the country.