As the Tánaiste will know, the fishing industry is going through a huge crisis, as quota losses have led to many taking the dreaded decision to decommission, which will have further devastating consequences for west Cork's rural towns and villages. Small inshore fishermen are also in deep trouble as the shrimp and velvet crab market has collapsed, leaving them without an income in recent months. A call for an aid package, similar to the one for the pig industry given last year, for the inshore sector was refused in response to our motion a few weeks ago, leaving inshore fishermen, like our larger fleet fishermen, fending for themselves.

There is one way the Government can help all fishermen, big and small, namely, through the introduction of a fuel subsidy. There is a European fund to which the Spanish and French Governments applied and were granted in 2022 to aid their countries’ fishermen. This fund is so freely available that the French Government, on behalf of the country's fishermen, has gone back for a second round of the fuel subsidy in recent weeks. On behalf of fishermen from Castletownbere, Bantry, Schull and Union Hall to Kinsale, I ask why the Government has chosen to ignore their pleas and not seek this fuel subsidy to help salvage something following a number of disastrous years for fishermen.

First, the Government has not ignored any representatives or group within the fishing industry, and we have been working extremely hard on the Brexit issue and the adjustment reserve fund, for example, to provide supports as a result of the very negative consequences of Brexit on our fisheries, which was beyond the Government's control. Britain decided to leave, with very negative consequences for our fisheries. Bilateral consultations are going on between the European Union and Norway and our interests in those negotiations, of course, relate to the transfer of blue whiting quota to Norway to pay for other fishing opportunities. Again, we are seeking the best possible result.

On the inshore issue the Deputy raised, we will do everything we possibly can to give support within whatever means we have at our disposal, be they national or through European mechanisms.