'Minister for Fisheries must present battle plan for Irish seafood at Oireachtas'

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Fisheries and the Marine, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD, this morning demanded that the Minister for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, present a battle plan for Ireland’s seafood industry at today’s Oireachtas Committee.

Following a marathon EU Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels early on Saturday morning, Ireland emerged with 57,000 tonnes less fishing quota for 2026, despite widespread recognition that the Irish fishing sector is already under severe pressure. This pressure has been compounded by ongoing overfishing by non-EU countries and the continued access of other EU fleets to Irish waters.

READ NEXT: EU Fishing Council decision described as a 'body blow' to Irish Fishing Industry

Deputy Mac Lochlainn said the outcome of the Council will be devastating for Ireland’s coastal and fishing communities. He added that serious questions over the influence of a major European Union-based corporation must also be answered.

Teachta Mac Lochlainn said: “It is estimated that the wider economic impact for Ireland could be €200m next year and threaten over 2,300 jobs.

“The Common Fisheries Policy has been a long and deep injustice to our coastal and fishing communities. The outcome of Brexit and the EU/UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was a further betrayal of those communities - but this is the final insult.

“We have seen greed and recklessness rewarded. It’s business as usual for those who have broken the rules, while the Irish fishing fleet who have followed all the rules are betrayed.

“This cannot stand. We need clear evidence today from Minister Dooley that, along with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, they are going to end the pathetic resistance from Irish governments over the years to the injustice of the Common Fisheries Policy and stand up for our Irish fishermen.

“We need to know whether this government is going to allow the last veneer of fairness left for Ireland in the Common Fisheries Policy - the decades-old Hague Preferences - be stripped away without a legal fight?

“We also need to know if Minister Dooley is going to demand answers as to how one huge seafood corporation based in the Netherlands can have more influence in the European Union than Ireland when it comes to the allocation of fish quota?”