Fishing Industry
Dail Éireann — 2025-10-14
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Timmy Dooley (FF), Clare

The Deputy is right. Over the past five years, 1 million tonnes more than advised was caught. If you go back over ten years, I believe it would be 2 million. It has been consistent. The Union has accepted it and, as a result, we are seeing destruction prevail. The word "Armageddon" has been used and it is hard not to accept that when you consider the impact on Ireland, particularly with regard to pelagic stock and the loss of 26% of our mackerel quota in the Brexit negotiations. Those negotiations were difficult and had a very significant negative impact. Last year, we had a 20% cut in our mackerel quota based on scientific advice. These two losses combined were significant. This year, the remainder is to be cut by 70%. In my view, it is not an exaggeration to use the word "Armageddon". It is a clear reality. The responsibility on Government now is to move quickly to secure what we can at European level at the December meeting of the Council and to determine how best to give direction to the sector as to how we are going to manage the allocation of the quota with Norway. We can then look at what supports are available within the significant restraints imposed by state aid rules. I look forward to working with the Deputy and others on this matter.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-10-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:04+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-10-14