I ask the Leader to ascertain for me when the €10 billion that Europe has siphoned from us since 1973 will be repaid to the Irish people, particularly to the fishermen. Approximately, €10 billion of valuable fish has been take from Irish waters in that 40 years. I note the Minister, Deputy Coveney, will go to Europe, next week or in the early days of the following week, to renegotiate our quotas which is where one takes with one hand and gives away with the other. The simple fact is that of all sectors of Ireland, the fishermen were the forgotten sector when negotiation took place in 1973. They were not properly represented. Successive Governments - I say this against my party's Governments in the past - neglected to seek proper quotas for Irish fishermen.

Hear, hear.

I ask that at some stage some Minister would have the bravery and audacity to challenge Europe at the highest level and state that what we got in 1973 was wrong, it was an injustice and it is about time there was a fair adjustment for the Irish fishermen. Until such time as that is done, whatever Deputy Coveney will do next week or the following week about getting 20 tonnes extra, and losing a few tonnes of monkfish or gaining it in sole, megs or whatever, is only the stuff of Tweedledum and Tweedledee. We are always praising him. In the past I have said, against Ministers of my own party, that it will be so until such time as we properly renegotiate the quota allocated to Ireland.

We in this House must remember what many do not know, that Ireland has almost 25% of EU waters and only 4% of the quota. That is one of the greatest injustices to befall this country.

Hear, hear.

We have lost €10 billion out of our waters. I ask the Leader whether it is at all possible that at some stage a Minister, Taoiseach or Government would have the capacity to take on Europe on these issues because previous Governments have failed. Somebody at some time must grasp it. After 40 years, we can still rectify the injustice created and give us at least 10% as the fish quota for Ireland. Recently, we gave away thousands of tonnes to the Faroe Islands and Iceland, neither of which is even in the European Union. Those countries get a far greater proportion of the quotas, particularly for mackerel, than Irish fishermen do and we are left holding the can. It is a brave challenge. If the Minister, the Taoiseach or the current Government can do something on that issue, fundamental change to the fishing quotas must be tackled sooner rather than later. It has been far too long. Previous Governments and previous Fianna Fáil Ministers neglected the issue and kicked it to touch. The fishermen and fishing sector is a forgotten sector of Irish society.