Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

This is a very serious day for the fishing industry. I echo the calls of Senator O'Toole that we send a message of solidarity to the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, to whom I spoke this morning, who has been in Brussels for a couple of days, and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Smith, who travels there today. The fishing industry got a boost a few years ago with the white fish renewal scheme. It has much better and safer boats than it had a decade ago, yet when it needs the money to pay for those boats, there is a threat to the Hague preferences, which will ensure that people cannot fish — if they cannot fish, they cannot get the money to pay for their boats. The whole national effort to protect the fishing industry, as referred to in the Cawley report and the decommissioning programme, will be completely wasted.

It is clear that France, Spain and Portugal have their agendas in respect of their needs. We referred to Lisbon earlier, and it is grand to say that the Minister must hold his ground, but when these matters come to votes, there must be solidarity with other member states that will support us in what we need. I am fearful that support is not as strong as it has been in other years. I do not know how we can influence other countries at the table because very serious decisions must be made today. We must hold out to retain the Hague preferences. We also need the voting strength to make sure that happens.

I ask that we send a message of solidarity to the Minister, Deputy Smith, and the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, at a historic moment. This argument always is made at this time of the year because these are annual quotas that are fought for every year. This is a particularly difficult year and I stand in solidarity with the fishing federations because Greencastle — declaring my interest — is at the core of the difficulties today.

Given that the euro is approaching parity with sterling — at 93p — will the Leader examine a number of matters in that regard? I proposed previously that we explore an all-Ireland VAT rate for alcohol. I was on a radio programme with Jeffrey Donaldson and he thought it was a good idea. This drive to the North, which results in people buying other things when they go to buy alcohol, is also fuelling alcohol abuse.

I bring to the attention of the Leader the issue of pricing. If one takes the train from Belfast to Dublin, or vice versa, as we did on the occasion of a European project, it costs £36 for a return ticket, but if one pays in euro, it costs €52, with an exchange rate of 67p. That is appalling and I am not sure to whose attention it should be drawn, perhaps the consumer affairs officials. For cross-Border projects to charge €52 for the same journey that costs £36 across the Border is appalling. This exploitation is giving us a bad name.