I am putting this question on behalf of my colleague Deputy Mac Lochlainn. Five Dutch corporations now control more EU fishing quota than do entire sovereign states, including island nations like ours. They also clearly wield significantly more influence than member states when it comes to quota negotiations. The outcome of the December Council meeting showed that to be true. These five corporations operate across multiple jurisdictions through complex ownership structures and operate fleets under the flags of both EU and non-EU member states. Does the Minister accept there is a serious concentration of control here, a conflict of interest and a real concern about corporate influence distorting EU fisheries policy?
Sentiment score: 0.24
The reality is there is an oligopoly at the heart of European fisheries. If the Government will not name the problem, others will. I am prepared to do so here under parliamentary privilege. I refer to the so-called big five Dutch-based corporations, namely, Parlevliet & van der Plas, Cornelis Vrolijk, Van der Zwan, Alda Seafood and the De Boer family. Between them, they control an extraordinary share - almost 20% - of EU fishing effort. One in six fish caught in EU waters across the entire European Union is caught by one of these outfits. The actual number is likely much more; that is only what we know about. They exercise this control through use of a corporate maze, with vessels flagged across multiple member states and ownership structures that make meaningful transparency almost impossible. At the same time, as the Minister of State knows, these same interests are operating in non-EU waters, including off Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway, often in contexts where there are serious concerns about overfishing of our shared stocks in the north Atlantic, particularly in the pelagic sector. In effect, these corporations are ag imirt an dá thaobh. They are playing both sides of the system, influencing policy here while maximising profits everywhere. Meanwhile, Irish fishermen are tying their boats to the harbour wall and coastal communities are being hollowed out. The Minister of State knows this as he has travelled to meet with them. We have a minuscule and utterly disproportionate share of quota in our own territorial waters. It is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.
Sentiment score: 0.20
The Government must accept that EU fishing policy is being distorted by this reality. It warrants more than just self-congratulations and pointing to the small concession Ireland received from the European Union.
Sentiment score: -0.01
This issue needs an all-of-government approach. It must be investigated and taken very seriously.
Sentiment score: -0.12
At its core, this issue is about sovereignty, fairness and the very survival of our coastal communities. Everybody knows who these corporations are. There are published reports and investigative reports. There is clear evidence of the scale of their control and influence. They wield more control than does a sovereign member state of the EU. Previous Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Administrations ceded sovereignty over our territorial waters to the European Union and now the Union is looking us in the face and regifting it to corporations that are running rings around us and laughing at us all the way to the bank. Their well-placed lobbyists are doing better than we are in quota negotiations. The result is that fishermen all around our coastline, including in the Minister of State's county and my county, are tying their boats to the wall because they cannot go out to sea. The coastal communities that do not have the ability to fish do not want handouts, supports or lectures about heritage and how great they are. They want to get out and fish. Meanwhile, these corporations are allowed to do what they want in our waters, in the waters of other EU member states and, indeed, in the waters of third states. My question to the Minister of State is really simple. Will he and the Taoiseach take a strong line on vindicating our sovereignty and ensuring these companies are not laughing at us all the way to the bank?
Sentiment score: 0.15