As the Minister of State is well aware, our maritime territory is one of the largest in the EU. It is a vast resource ten times the size of our landmass. Given this scale, Ireland should be a leader in European fisheries. Our beef and dairy farmers have set the golden standard on the world stage. There is no reason our fishing industry should not be the same. Yet since the 1983 Common Fisheries Policy, our coastal communities have been relegated to second class status within the EU. We have seen preferential treatment granted to other member states. We have watched as third country vessels operate brazenly in our water, often overfishing with little to no consequences. Now, we face the latest betrayal, the threat of deeper quota cuts, combined by the blocking of the Hague preferences by our so-called EU partners. This is a mechanism designed to protect vulnerable nations like Ireland. This is not just a policy adjustment; it puts over 2,000 jobs in our coastal communities at immediate risk. The knock-on effect will cripple towns and villages already stretched to their limit by depopulation and economic neglect. What is becoming clear is that Ireland's primary producers are under attack. We see it in the Mercosur deal - a threat to flood our markets with substandard beef, undermining our farmers and the standards of food on our shelves. We see it here in the calculated move to deny Ireland its fair share and its rightful protections. The spirit of mutual co-operation and respect upon which the EU was founded is being broken. It is time for this Government to move beyond polite requests and to take a firm stance.

Sentiment score: -0.09