74. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the most recent discussions between the Government and the UK Government on reinstating access for Irish fishers to their traditional fishing grounds at Rockall; if he is considering taking the matter to international arbitration, given the illegality of this long-standing blockade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36288/25]

Sentiment score: 0.02

I apologise for being a little late and thank my colleague, Deputy Conor McGuinness, for introducing my question. I appreciate that the Minister of State is new to his role but my difficulty is that what he has just read out was said to me again and again by the previous Minister for agriculture, Deputy McConalogue. This is an uninhabited rock and there is just no basis under international law for what the British are doing. It has cost millions of euro every year, not just for fishermen in Donegal, Greencastle and Killybegs, but all the way down to Castletownbere. Fishermen from around Ireland are affected. It is outrageous action. Basically, there is a blockade around the rock and threats to people's livelihoods for fishing in their traditional grounds. At some point, if the British Government will not do what is right, we have to look at international arbitration. It is outrageous that this has gone on for so long.

Sentiment score: -0.15

I am mindful that the previous Scottish First Minister, Ms Nicola Sturgeon, according to reports in The Guardian newspaper, was trying to resolve this issue. Ultimately, it is a jurisdictional issue and the British Government has probably been let off the hook on this. The fisheries element of the TCA was recently extended by 12 years. That is very problematic because it locks down the loss of fisheries. I know the Minister of State is going to work to improve those quotas as a result but I would have thought this issue should have been resolved as part of that agreement at the time. This is bad faith, particularly by the Whitehall Government, but the Scottish Government has been a disappointment on this issue, too. They know these are our traditional fishing grounds and are very important to a fishing industry that is struggling. It is really long overdue that they did the right thing. I ask the Minister of State to strongly convey the view, with which both sides of the House would agree, that this has to stop and be resolved.

Sentiment score: 0.01