This has been one of the worst deals in living memory when it comes to the Common Fisheries Policy. Irish fish are effectively being stolen by the European Union, which is what is happening. We are on the periphery of Europe. We have ceded so much ground to our counterparts across Europe. Some 57,000 tonnes of quota will be lost to Irish fishermen next year, which will affect more than 2,000 jobs. I was very concerned when I heard the Minister of State's statement about going to the national Exchequer for a compensation scheme. Our first priority must be to go back to Europe and, if necessary, to initiate legal proceedings in the European Court of Justice to ensure the Hague preferences are guaranteed. We must protect fishers, our indigenous sector and the coastline. A compensation scheme may be necessary but I urge him as a first step to work across Europe to gain support and to issue legal proceedings in this regard. We cannot and must not accept this. Irish fishermen would be better off to register as Belgians, Dutch, Germans or French and to fly their flags over their vessels than our own, in our own waters. I spoke to a fisherman yesterday who said his vessel will be docked in the harbour while he watches the Germans and the French come in with their vessels, take our fish and load their articulated trucks and go back to Europe. That is what is happening. That is what happened last Friday night. It is unacceptable. I urge the Minister of State to fight for our coastal communities. There is a 70% reduction in mackerel, a 41% reduction in blue whiting and a 22% reduction in boarfish. What makes this so egregious is that there was a long-standing agreement and safeguard, which was discarded last Friday night. It is the same safeguard the Government will talk about when it comes to the Mercosur trade deal: "we have a safeguard lads, there is no need to worry." We saw how the safeguard was disregarded last Friday. The fear I have with the Mercosur trade deal is that the safeguard and backstop is no safeguard whatsoever. In fact, beef prices could fall by almost 50% over a five-year period and no handbrake would be pulled in relation to this. We must reject the deal. We cannot accept it. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the European Court of Justice and make sure that we get a fair deal for Irish fishermen in Irish waters.

Sentiment score: 0.04