Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom díospóireacht a lorg leis an Aire le freagracht don iascaireacht, an Teachta Coveney. Leis an gceart a thabhairt don Aire, bhí sé i gcónaí flaithiúil go leor lena chuid ama le teacht isteach agus plé a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí iascaireachta. Tá sé in am arís go labharfadh muid arís leis faoi, mar tá athraithe go leor beartaithe ag an tionscal sin, go háirithe maidir leis an cuótaí iascaigh sa Mhuir Cheilteach agus na cuótaí ronnach agus mar sin de. Tá polasaí fé leith dhá fhorbairt ag an Aire féin maidir lenár acmhainní mara agus ba bhreá liom dá bpléadh muid iad sin.

I am calling for a debate on the future of the fishing industry in Ireland. I am aware the Minister has been in the House on this issue before, but it is important that he comes in again because changes are happening quite rapidly and it would be good to know where he stands with regard to quotas in the Celtic Sea area. A number of fishermen have raised this issue with me. The Minister has to make a decision on this and I hope he is not going to pander to pressure from the elite in the fishing industry, as happened many times with previous Governments. I hope the Minister gives the smaller fishermen a fair crack of the whip. I would welcome that and would welcome an outline of his policy on Our Oceans Wealth and his plans for that and other quotas.

I commend the gardaí in Galway on their balanced handling of the Occupy Galway situation. The chief superintendent, Dónal Ó Cualáin, made it known to the joint policing committee in Galway that he was not aware of any law being broken by the people of Occupy Galway. I can understand the frustration of my fellow Senators, but it is important we uphold the right to peaceful protest.