Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

Yes. It is vital that debate takes place to provide clarity on this issue. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has been saying one thing, the Taoiseach has been saying another and the Leader of the Labour Party and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, has been saying something different. There is total uncertainty on this matter. If there is uncertainty in Government, there is uncertainty among the public. We need early clarification of this matter.

I ask the Leader to provide time for an urgent debate on the fishing sector, in particular the inshore fishing sector and in this regard to invite the Minister with responsibility for fisheries to the House. During the rough weather last Sunday night-Monday morning, tens of thousands of euro of damage was caused to lobster pots along our coast from west Cork to north-west Donegal. Some fishermen lost up to €100,000 worth of lobster pots which cannot be replaced because fishermen do not have the financial resources to do so. I call for an urgent debate on fishing. I also call on the Government to seriously consider compensating fishermen for their losses as many of them cannot afford to take to the waters again without some type of Government intervention.