Tánaiste doesn’t get the supertrawler travesty

On Thursday afternoon, I tuned in to Leaders Questions as Deputy Thomas Pringle was putting a question to Joan Burton.

What subsequently transpired, would cause every Irish person with even a semblance of patriotism to cringe at the manner in which the Irish fishing industry, potentially our greatest natural resource, was being disregarded

Deputy Pringle outlined how three foreign factory super trawlers were fishing off the Donegal coast.

At the same time many small Irish trawlers are confined to port, because they have no quota.

Deputy Pringle related an instance where one of the super trawlers towed away the crab pots of a Donegal fisherman.

These foreign trawlers have quota entitlement but inevitably, other non-quota species will be caught in their gigantic nets.

The SFPA, the body responsible for enforcing the States sea fishery regulations, has stated that the weather conditions off the west coast have rendered it unsafe to inspect the vessels at sea. Deputy Pringle asked that the Naval Services intervene.

The Tanaiste, true to form, avoided answering the question. Deputy Pringle repeated his question, stating it does no good for Naval Service personnel to be sitting in Haulbowline watching a computer screen.

Eventually, the Tanaiste decided to ‘kick the can down the road’ , saying she would relay the Deputy’s concern to the Minister for Agriculture , Food and the Marine? A sense of urgency?

Mick Callanan

Crookstown

Co. Cork