Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE AGRICULTURE MINISTER has acknowledged that fishermen face challenging conditions post-Brexit, as a protest flotilla of fishermen gathered at Roches Point in Cork Harbour to protest against reduced quotas.
The fishermen are travelling up the River Lee to march on Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s office in Cork, where a letter from fishermen will be delivered.
Fishermen are protesting the conditions they face under the Brexit deal agreed before Christmas, which included a gradual decrease in quota amounts for Irish fishermen.
Patrick Murphy, CEO of the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation told The Journal that “it’s all go at the moment”.
He said there were upwards of 60 vessels involved, which represented nearly half the demersal-fishing fleet. Some of the vessels started hooting as they passed a nearby naval base.
“There are very little boats in our fleet, because that’s the plan of government.
Imagine someone spending hundreds of thousands of euro on refrigerators to keep fish at a premium quality, revoke the rights for fisherman to send fish to be weighed, so fishermen have to shake the ice off them at the docks to see what they actually weigh, this is what we’re up against.
If the worst happens, we’re going to be wiped out, so surely they have to put a value on these lads’ livelihoods.
When asked if he meant a redundancy package, Murphy replied that’s what it would be: “They don’t want to leave the industry.”
He said that the Irish fishing industry is worth €1 billion, and that the reduced quotas mean that they would lose €200 million overall, which would have a knock-on effect on other industries.
“Surely we’re entitled to catch at least half the fish in our own waters?” he added.
The Government has set up a taskforce to examine the issue.
Minister for Agriculture’s response
When asked about the protest on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Minister for Agriculture and the Marine Charlie McConalogue acknowledged that the Brexit trade deal will see quotas reduced to 15% on fishing quotas between now and 2026, which is the “challenge and pain” of what fishermen face.
“Obviously Brexit posed a massive threat to fisheries, a third of all the fish we catch was caught in British waters, so a no-deal would have been quite disastrous for the sector.
“But that’s not to take away at all from the outcome that has impacted fisheries in a way that it hasn’t impacted other parts of the economy.
“And that’s why I’ve established a taskforce to bring together all of the voices in the sector to advise the government how we can invest in the sector in the time ahead, how we can mitigate the impact that’s there and also maximise what is a tremendous marine resource we have,” he said.
Responding to the Minister’s comments, Murphy said:
The minister says it’s ‘a challenge’. A challenge to me would be a soldiers climbing out of the trenches at the Battle of the Somme to face the machine guns, that’s the challenge, we’re being annihilated here.
“What’s he saying is ‘suck it up’, I don’t want to be disrespectful to a minister, but he’s being disrespectful to us.”
Fisherman Joe McGuinness told RTÉ Radio One that it’s “very frustrating when you see French and Spanish vessels fishing beside you [in Irish waters] that have 10 times the catch you do”.
“Every year the quota is cut,” he says. “It’s not enough to keep boats viable.”
Dinah Busher, whose trawler has sank, said: “We’re still in trouble, we still owe money. If we were a Spanish or French trawler we wouldn’t have owed as much money as we do now.
“My family is struggling. Standing here today, we’re proud to see it. They talk about the fish being in danger, but obviously its the fishermen that are the endangered in Ireland.”
Earlier this month, fishermen threatened to block the nation’s busiest ports over an EU audit which resulted in changes to how landed fish are weighed and distributed.
How much has the cost of living increased in Ireland since 2006? Does anyone know? Would be interesting to see this in the context of job losses & wage cuts. Our labour force is taking the brunt of the last six budgets to ‘improve competitiveness’ which is code for ‘make them poorer’. This is sadly not a conspiracy theory, it’s simply austerity.
Rubbish.
Higher prices mean people will demand less not more.
If you wanna increase “consumer spending” why not lower the cost?
I’m tired of this type of demagoguery.
Since 2006:
2006: 3.9%
2007: 4.9%
2008: 4.1%
2009: -4.5%
2010: -1.6%
2011: 2.6%
Thanks Gavan, I appreciate that. This trend allied with pay cuts & increased taxes explains in stark numbers why so many are struggling to make ends meet. Something has gotta give.
Almost 12% since 2006 and recall that should be compounded, so it’s actually more.
And these are fudged govt numbers, no doubt.
“All fiat currencies return to their intrinsic value — zero” – Voltaire
If debt remains the same in relaton to the rate of inflation then in effect it shrinks the debt. Considering the countrys massive level if indebtness inflation may allow us to outgrow our debts. Low levels of inflation actually plays in to the hands of the likes of Germany by keeping their cost base artificially low making it more competitiive in markets like China Etc.
But Keith, at the cost of who? The poor and the old?
The cost of those about to retire as they see the value of their funds decline in relation to living costs and those with savings.
@Michael: Compounded, the interest rate between 1/1/2006 and 31/12/2011 is 9.39%.
That is to say, the average product that cost €100 at the start of 2006 cost €109.39 at the end of 2011.
And this year brings it to…111.80?
That means purchasing power (and savings) has been reduced by a little more than 10% in 6 years.
10% increase in the price of food, fuel and commodities? What planet are they on???
“You can fool some people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”
This system has to stop.
Best image caption ever Gavin!!
Why do we continue to squeeze the poor and middle class with inflation? 2.2% is high. What is wrong with deflation? Give the people on fixed incomes a chance? Lower prices of basic commodities? Relieve the pressure on gold?
Thus love of inflation makes me sick. Stop the money printing to afford these entitlements. Balance the budget.
Bring back sanity? Not Keynesian NONSENSE.
We already have one of the most expensive electricity and gas prices range from 30-45% higher than Europe.internet Broadband is amongst the most expensive monthly and slowest broadband to most European countries.ready to go top ups also the most expensive with the least amount of minutes.car prices 30% higher than other EURO countries.all of these major factors added to higher transport cost of public and private usage and we could really see how much we’re being screwed by a government and Europe.
Those who own the printing presses use inflation to keep the citizens enslaved in debt, too busy to ask questions like who owns the Federal Reserve bank in America.
have your say