This long-awaited Dáil debate on the fisheries sector has finally arrived, allowing us to shed light on the EU's clandestine actions that undermine the interests of the Irish fishing industry. The man at the helm, our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, appears to be complicit in these actions, aligning himself with unelected bureaucrats in Brussels rather than standing up for Irish coastal communities and the fishing sector.

The latest manoeuvres or sellout being entertained and facilitated by the Minister involve EU negotiations with Iceland to surrender more fishing rights in Irish waters. It is deeply troubling that an Irish fisheries Minister would engage in such a deal, allowing the EU to grant Iceland access to our fishing waters. This secretive agreement is not only objectionable but also lacks transparency. The deal, which is shrouded in secrecy, promises our fishermen an additional 15 million tonnes of blue whiting quota this year, but at a steep cost of allowing Icelandic crews to fish in our waters. This is akin to offering a child a single sweet in exchange for all their pocket money. What exacerbates the situation is the clandestine nature of these talks, conducted without any consultation with the local sector, despite the severe implications.

Currently, foreign vessels catch more than 85% of the fish in Irish territorial waters while our fishermen can only watch from the sideline or have their vessels moored at piers due to a lack of quota. This new deal threatens to worsen the situation. The lack of advocacy for our industry is evident. Unlike our counterparts in other EU countries, we do not seem to be fighting for our sector. If this new deal proceeds, Iceland, a non-EU member, will be able to catch almost the same amount of blue whiting in Irish waters as we do. This one-sided deal benefits only Iceland, leaving us with no comparable catch in Icelandic waters. Ireland stands to lose significantly from the deal, with countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden all gaining more than Ireland.

This highlights the glaring incompetence of our fisheries Minister, who seems willing to accept any proposal thrown at him by EU officials. This is a fact well known in Brussels. At its core, the EU is exploiting our waters to secure better deals for other EU and non-EU states, all at Ireland's expense. This is both unbelievable and outrageous. Would the Spanish or Dutch Governments ever accept such a flawed deal? There has been no input or adequate consultation by the Minister with the affected fishermen here on this deal. The Irish fishing industry has already lost 26% of its mackerel quota to the UK due to Brexit. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has intentionally downsized the Irish fleet and decommissioned dozens of trawlers.

Last year, Ireland's pelagic fish exports dropped by 45%, representing a loss of €56 million to the Irish economy. It is high time for the Minister to come clean about the talks. The Irish fishing industry and the public deserve transparency and a Minister who will fight for their interests. It is baffling to see our Minister and his officials advancing an agenda driven by the EU Commission.

This is an agenda which does not serve Ireland's interests, but instead favours Iceland, a non-EU member. We are deeply concerned that this concession of further foreign access to Irish waters is being negotiated behind closed doors. Why would we agree to a deal that permits Icelandic fisherman to exploit valuable blue whiting stocks in Irish waters? Iceland has vast waters of its own and a history of arbitrarily increasing fishing quotas, leading to the depletion of its own stocks.

It is unjustifiable that Irish fishermen should bear the cost of this. A deal with Iceland must be reciprocal. This current deal threatens to further devastate the Irish fishing industry. Granting access to another non-EU country would further jeopardise the livelihoods of Irish fishermen and the sustainability of the stock. We fear a repeat of the Brexit giveaway that occurred on this Minister's watch. Iceland boasts a substantial fishing fleet, including factory ships that will deplete our stock. It is unjust to grant them rights to fish in our waters. The EU has already sacrificed Ireland in the Brexit negotiations resulting in severe repercussions, following the disastrous transfer of Irish fishing quotas to the EU. Ireland has decommissioned 39 vessels and downsized its national fleet. We now find ourselves in the inconceivable situation of granting a third country access, while Ireland's small fleet and onshore factories grapple with reduced fishing quotas.

According to reports, Icelandic fishing of blue whiting in Irish waters would yield that country a benefit of €22.5 million with no benefit for Ireland. We struggle to understand why the Minister and his officials are rushing an agenda driven by the EU Commission that benefits Iceland, a non-EU member. Have we not learned from past mistakes?

Will the Minister immediately block or veto any EU deal with Iceland? The Irish fishing industry and the public deserve better, as well as a Minister who will fight for them.

Had Deputy Collins been listening to what I said at the outset, he would have heard how I laid out the negotiations in relation to an engagement with the Commission on Iceland. I, as the Minister representing Ireland, have been the one who has been taking a very hard line and refusing to agree to any mandate for negotiations or for conducting an agreement with Iceland. As a result of that there has not been one. I have laid all this out. The Deputy obviously has not been listening to me. I often hear of Ministers being accused of coming into the Chamber and reading out what was given to them but it seems to be a different story for those in opposition in terms of listening to what was said.

I have taken a clear line in terms of these negotiations and continue to do so in respect of the fact that our waters are being discussed in an EU context. I am working to ensure that in terms of the outcome of that, our waters are respected and that any access that happens would be to the benefit of the Irish fleet.

Is the Minister saying there is absolutely going to be no deal with Iceland, end of story? That is all I am asking. Is the answer "Yes" or "No"? It is a simple answer. It should not be a complicated answer that goes on for another minute while I am losing valuable time.

It is not a simple answer.

It is a "Yes" or a "No".

If the Deputy was aware of the way that European fisheries work, he would know it is not a simple answer-----

Iceland is not in Europe.

-----because things can be agreed at a European level by qualified majority voting, QMV.

There is a veto.

Nobody could tell the Deputy "Yes" or "No". I can, however, tell him that the approach I have taken as Minister is the reason that no mandate has been agreed at European level in respect of any engagement with Iceland. While other member states could vote us down, should they decide to, and go for a qualified majority vote, they are respecting the position I am taking at European level and the position I am outlining, which is very much that our waters should be respected and if there is any access to our waters, we should be the ones who gain in terms of fish. That is the approach I have taken. Not all are in agreement with that approach and those lines I have laid out. That is why there has not been consensus or agreement. I must recognise the fact that other member states are very much respecting the position I have taken and, as a result, we have not had a mandate. I have continued to take that clear, coherent and strong line on any engagement and it is my full intention and hope that by doing so, we will continue to ensure that our position is respected. We have improved our position in each of the four years I have conducted negotiations with the EU on behalf of Ireland in relation to Iceland by reducing the amount of fish its fishers can catch in our waters, reducing Iceland's access to our waters and incrementally increasing the amount of fish our fishermen can fish over those four years.

I thank the Minister. There are other issues I need to talk about. The inshore sector for crabs and shrimps has collapsed and many inshore fishermen are in a dire crisis. We met representatives of the inshore fishing sector at committee recently. The Minister said he will be meeting with them but what does he intend to achieve by that meeting? They have mortgages to pay and food to put on the table. They have not caught brown crab or shrimp in months. They are facing a serious crisis. They feel the talking should have been done and want delivery now of some package for their survival. Why has the Minister not tapped into the European fuel fund like every other European country, including Spain and others?

I also want to talk about piers. The Minister mentioned the pier at Killybegs, which is hugely important. I was there last Saturday morning. From what I heard from a Government person below there, all the money has dried up. They are hoping to have a meeting. Live horse and you will get grass, but that is not going to work for the people of Killybegs, who have been suffering for a long time. The Minister has been there, as was the Tánaiste when he was Taoiseach. What are they all doing? They are only going up the road and have nothing delivered. It is the same pier as ever and not one extra block has been laid on it. Everybody is blaming everybody else and nobody is sitting around the table and talking. That is all that needed to be done in the first place.

There is no quota for Irish fishermen in respect of the bluefin tuna.

There is no time for a response. Perhaps the Minister will reply during his next response.