I had the chance last December to lay a number of facts on the table. I am going to repeat them. We need to speak out with passion about the rottenness of the Common Fisheries Policy and, I am sorry to say, the rottenness of the approach of the European Commission to all of this. Let us talk about the big five. These are the Dutch corporations that dominate so much quota across the European Union. The Common Fisheries Policy allows these huge corporations to legally buy up quota across the European Union. They control one sixth of the fish resource. That figure is probably even higher now, as it is from the last documented figures we have. The influence these corporations have is absolutely extraordinary. I am very clear that the big five Dutch-based corporations had more influence over the Netherlands, France, Germany and Poland than our country when it came to the Hague preferences. That is a shocking moment. I am sorry to say this, but our Taoiseach has been absent without leave in relation to all of this.

Sentiment score: 0.09

Where the hell is he? How can he not speak out about what is happening? Everybody in the industry across Europe knows of the domination of these corporations and the control they have over policy. Everybody knows that they were able to influence those governments to stop the Hague preferences being invoked by Ireland. That has been our right for decades. It was a protection because of the access we gave to our waters. The UK was also able to avail of the Hague preferences. Now we are on our own. I believe these countries picked on this State of about 5 million people and utterly shafted us at the behest of major corporations. It is not just the Common Fisheries Policy and what happens within our waters. These corporations are investing in the industries in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, and I am sure they are partnering with industry in Norway. They are industrialising fishing. They are recklessly overfishing and are benefiting on the double when they come back and remove the Hague preferences from Ireland. What has happened here is utterly scandalous. It is rotten and corrupt. We have to say it out loud as a country. What on earth is Germany doing backing this utterly reprehensible behaviour, which goes against all the principles the European Union is supposed to stand for? Climate change - forget about that. Protecting vulnerable coastal communities - forget about that. Rewarding people who are involved in low-impact fishing - forget about that. Standing up for the little guy - forget about that. Making sure there is fairness and equality - forget about that. That is what all of this has amounted to. It is of the utmost seriousness. I find it deeply sad that, in a country that is surrounded by water, an island nation, there has not been more media focus on this. In fairness, with a couple of honourable exceptions, I am astonished at the lack of media focus in Ireland on this issue. What is happening here is devastating for our fishing communities. How on earth can they not investigate the big five? I have a report here from the campaign group Bloom, which produced it a couple of years ago. I have another report entitled, Competing for Fish: How One Dutch Company Is Slowly Taking Over Much of Europe's Fishing Sector. These are investigative journalists. Where are the investigative journalists in Ireland? Where is the spotlight on these companies and what is going on? Why are they not asking questions? Why are they not looking for who joined the Dutch Government in its lobbies to the German, French and Polish Governments? Who was at the table? Are there exchanges or freedom of information requests? Where are our journalists during such an attack on our national interest? I would argue it is an unprecedented attack on our fishery resource. We know that the Common Fisheries Policy has been terrible, but what happened last December was an absolute new low. It is critical that this task force now adequately financially compensates our sector to get us through this, but there has to be a plan. I am sorry to say it, but our Taoiseach is not at the table. He is not standing up for our interests. I know the Minister of State is doing his best, but the Taoiseach, whose job this is, is absent.

Sentiment score: -0.06

Hear hear.

Sentiment score: 0.00

Hear hear.

Sentiment score: 0.00

Colonialists.

Sentiment score: 0.00