I class myself as a good, proud European but I can honestly say that - I will not mince my words - the fishers of this country and I felt utterly betrayed by the results of the December AGRIFISH Council last week. People will know the history of the fishing industry and I have said many times in this Chamber and at the fishing committee that successive Governments and Departments have failed this industry and have not stood strong in Europe. Last week changed that, however. Organisations, including the Irish Fishing and Seafood Alliance, and the Government stood together. Officials were there but we did not get a fair result. I am beginning to question the European process. There are people now questioning whether we should be in Europe. That is all as a result of last week's decisions because it was big business that controlled this decision. That is what angers me and so many people I represent.

The Common Fisheries Policy and the relative stability that was put in place with the Hague preferences to support our coastal nation and coastal waters are being blown out of the water. Our communities are now asking that we make a stand and examine a legal case. If the legal case cannot be taken, we should look at the common control policies that we have. A French boat was crashing against rocks in Dingle Harbour last weekend. That was difficult to see, but thanks to our emergency services, there was no loss of life. That is a French-registered boat, owned by a Spanish company, that has quoted a catch totalling almost 50% of the stocks of our monkfish quota. It lands at a pier in Dingle, puts its stock into a Spanish lorry and, rather than going back to France where it should go, it goes back to Spain without any checks. That is what is happening day in, day out and week in, week out. We need to see change in that regard. We need to see an urgent review of the Common Fisheries Policy once and for all. We need to see the Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries in here. I must admit he is doing a good job and did a good job last week. Ultimately, we got no deal, which was better than a bad deal. We need to see the Minister of State back in here. We need to see financial supports, which the industry does not want but we need to make sure that we have a future for the fishing industry. There are young fishers watching this debate and the earlier committee.

They want to know if they have a future in the industry. They are the questions we need to answer. I would advise anyone to get into the industry, but we need to have a plan going forward. We need to hold Europe to account, stand up and be strong and good Europeans.