Arranmore schoolgirl's plight brought before European Parliament in Brussels

Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus raised the issue of young people in the fishing industry in an address to the European Parliament, using the example of a 14-year-old girl from Donegal.

MacManus highlighted the case of Muireann Kavanagh, a student in Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada on Arranmore, who wishes to have a future in the fishing industry.

Muireann made headlines recently after she wrote a personal letter to Minister Charlie McConalogue outlining her anger at “demeaning and detrimental” zero catch restrictions which will have a major impact on small-scale fishing, as done by her own family. 

“Recently, I visited Aranmore Island off the coast of Donegal, and was honoured to meet Muireann Kavanagh, who catches pollock off the coast of her island, like her father and grandfather before her," MacManus said at the European Parliament in Brussels.

“Muireann has been banned from fishing in this sustainable way, whilst super trawlers, with nets the size of football pitches, hoover up all our fish in a very unsustainable way. “She wants to live and work on her home island. Our job as legislators is to make that happen.”

MacManus concluded by calling for an end to double standards and by calling on fellow MEPs to work towards ensuring a future for young people in coastal communities.

“Let’s end double standards and allow change so that Muireann and her peers have a future on the island they call home," he said. "Let´s stop with the lip service and facilitate generational renewal along Ireland’s shores.