Coastal communities and fishing talks
Senator Boyle warned that Brussels decisions on fishing and coastal communities will have long-term consequences and urged the Minister to protect Irish interests.
I rise to talk about the discussions on our coastal communities and the fishing sector that are starting in Brussels this evening. The next few days are crucial for our coastal communities. It really is decision time and the decisions made will affect them for years to come. Over the past few years, other countries have not adhered to policy, yet Ireland is holding the can. During the Brexit negotiations, 26% of our mackerel quota was transferred to the UK. Our coastal communities cannot lose anymore. I know our POs are out there as of now and our Minister is going out. I am asking our Minister to hold the line. Ireland has got so many bad deals on fishing that you would not believe it, to be honest. No deal is better for us than a bad deal. We have got enough bad deals down through the years. I am asking our Ministers and our team out there to hold the line. The next two days are crucial for our coastal communities, for the survival of employment and for everything that goes on in small towns like Killybegs, Castletownbere and Ros an Mhíl and all of our coastal communities. I am asking our Minister and our team to really dig in this time and try to get a deal for Ireland that we can live with and that will be sustainable moving forward. We cannot afford another bad deal.