Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We saw the Government come out finally yesterday and announce the fuel support scheme for all sectors – agriculture, transport and fishing. While the support is welcome, we have to be honest: the fishing industry still feels it is too little too late. There is a scheme of €15 million for the fishers which will be administered by BIM but fishers are still contacting me saying they do not know how much they will receive and how it will be calculated. There is a lot of uncertainty around it. I am not sure if it is just late going out from the Department or if they have not been fed through yet but it would be nice for them to get the exact details.

The reality is that the fishing industry has not just been hit by a short-term fuel crisis; it has been systemically eroded over years. Communities across our coasts have seen quota after quota stripped away. We have seen devastating EU deals which have slashed catch limits, putting jobs and livelihoods at risk and hollowing out our coastal communities. Time and time again, when decisions are made in Europe or at home, the fishing industry and sector is treated like an afterthought.

To be clear, fuel is not an optional extra for fishing. It is one of the biggest operating costs that a vessel has. Without meaningful supports, boats simply cannot go out. When boats do not go out, incomes collapse, crews are lost and coastal communities suffer. What was announced yesterday acknowledges the pressure but does it meet the actual crisis that is here today? If this Government is serious about backing the fishing industry, it must go further. That means clarity, immediacy and, above all, fairness because our fishing communities deserve more and not to be seen as an afterthought. They deserve to see the future that they are building across all our coastal communities.

I will not take a huge amount of time but I will say that when I was in Foynes for the week, every single protester I met - haulage drivers, contractors and building contractors - wanted a reduction for everyone. They were not just there for themselves. I know this is about fishing but I want to add this. Yes, they are happy the industry is getting the supports but I have received a lot of phone calls from crane drivers and lorry drivers. They said it is great that their business or the business they work for is getting a support, but how will their wife fill her tank when she has to take the kids to school?They stood there for everyone. They wanted this reduction at the pumps. It was not just rebate schemes and schemes per sector; they wanted to see this across the board. Until I left Limerick county on Tuesday, I had not seen a price at a petrol pump below €2.10. I do not know if they think we are extremely rich in Limerick or something.