Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We all love prawn cocktail. In area 7, in our coastal waters, Ireland caught 104% of its prawn quota last year. Up to a few years ago prawns were not a quota species. The French caught 11% of the quota so did not take up almost 90% of their quota of the fish available around the coast outside our door, so to speak. Although there is scientific evidence that the fish are there, the Irish boats are being tied up day in, day out and jobs are being put at risk. It is crazy. This scientific evidence comes from the Marine Institute and from the European Commission which each year study the various species of fish. It is a disgrace. At a conservative estimate, 7 billion Irish fish have been taken from our waters in the past 40 years. When we were in financial difficulty the Commission was able to dictate exactly what we should do, telling us not to burn the bondholders and to support the banks, which we did, yet when we seek and demand a bit of extra fish quota to keep our fishermen and boats at sea and to sustain jobs we are given the thumbs down. It is about time we stood up and fought for that.

I will seek an amendment to the Order of Business today on this issue, to ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to come in to the House as a matter of urgency. The Seanad is not sitting tomorrow. I will demand that we sit tomorrow and have a long debate on fishing. It is crazy that 7 billion fish were plundered from Irish waters. Successive governments have made mistakes. I have challenged Fianna Fáil Ministers year in year out.