Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to comment on an issue that has been raised by several Senators, namely, the proposed Russian exercised in the waters off the coast of County Cork in the coming weeks. I spoke to several fishermen this morning. I also spoke with Patrick Murphy, the chief executive officer of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation Limited. They are deeply concerned about this proposal. It is nonsensical in so many ways. From an environmental point of view, to have this so-called testing of arms happening off our coast makes no sense. It is within our economic zone.

In my part of the world, fishing is a really important to the economy. Fishermen work exceptionally hard. That the biodiversity and fishing stocks could be disrupted, if not destroyed, by these exercises is unbelievable. We need to have a real debate in the Seanad on this issue. We should ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, to come to the House to update Senators on his views on this matter and on what he proposes to do to stop these exercises. The proposal from the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation that fishing boats go out there is very dangerous. I would be deeply concerned for my fishing community that they could become embroiled in an international incident off the south-west coast of Cork. We need to make sure that these waters are safe. To permit such exercises at this stage is beyond belief. Our neutrality has been a really important part of our history. To have these so-called exercises happening makes no sense. The Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation has offered me a place on one of the vessels going out to there, which I will probably decline. It is important that we support the fishing industry. Following on from Brexit, up to 60 ships will be dismantled in the next few years. What is left of fish stocks will be disrupted by these testing exercises. This is a significant issue that we need to address.