Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is disappointing that the House is unable to sit tomorrow. While I understand the points the Leader has made, apart from what Senator Byrne said regarding the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, outlined clearly yesterday a substantial amendment inserting a new section in the Bill which those on this side of the House and other Senators deserve an opportunity to properly examine.

I ask the Leader to arrange for an urgent debate on the fishing industry. The whitefish fleet is at crisis point. In the past couple of days 15 boats were tied up at Kilmore Quay at the request of the sea fishery protection agency, SFPA. That is a ludicrous situation. Two boats had fish over quota but the SFPA tied up the entire fleet, a total of 21 boats, and put 115 jobs at risk. Our whitefish quotas are totally inadequate. This is hereditary. I am not being political. In the past 40 years our fishermen have worked with their hands tied behind their backs. This is recognised by the fishing associations all the way from Rossaveal to the south coast and up to the Leader's county, to Kilmore Quay and Howth. If the SFPA and the authorities want to work rigorously within the law every boat from Donegal to Castletownbere to Howth will be tied up, day in, day out because we do not have the quota.

In 2012 the French were entitled to take 24,000 tonnes of monkfish from our waters, the UK, 14,000 tonnes, but Ireland can take a mere 2,300 tonnes.