We can all agree that the decision to vote against Ireland on the Hague preferences by the so-called EU member states is a statement of intent. With a stroke of a pen, they have devastated the Irish fishing industry. Off the coast of my own County Wexford, Irish vessels are left with 28 tonnes of sole, while Belgium has 450 tonnes. In fact, in one week, the Norwegian fleet caught 40,000 tonnes of mackerel, the entire quota allowed for the Irish fleet. The trend goes on. Fishers are getting a raw and unjust deal. The facts are in black and white. Number one is the devastating quota cuts - 57,000 tonnes less in 2026, an estimated loss of €200 million a year, and the threat of a loss of 2,300 direct jobs. Number two is the Hague preferences were undermined. Number three is the monopolisation of the fishing industry by the so-called big five. The influence they wield in European Union circles is not questioned, yet they hold more sway than our own Government. Has the Minister or the Tánaiste questioned this or called for an investigation into these nefarious lobbying practices? Will the Minister seek legal advice and legally challenge the dismissal of the 49-year-old Hague preference agreement that protected and recognises Ireland's right to its territorial waters and the fish that is caught there as a natural resource belonging to the Irish people? Surely there is a clear case of custom and practice here. Surely there is a case to bring this before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The Irish fishers accept the scientific findings, but they are rightly infuriated by the inflated quotas given to countries that are not members of the EU, yet these countries benefit while our own Irish fleet are the ones paying the ultimate penalties for something they did not do. Fishers across the country, including my own maritime County Wexford, want to know what is plan B. Is there any plan B? What life supports are being put in place? What legal actions, if any, are being taken on the Hague preference agreement? Will there be an investigation on how the big five are able to influence EU policy?

Sentiment score: 0.04