Becky Kealy: Irish Fishermen The Net Losers In Brexit Deal
Aontú Rep for Cork North West, Becky Kealy has criticised the fact that the Irish fishing industry and thousands of Irish fishermen are the net losers of the Brexit Deal, as a result of the failure of the Irish government to protect Irish interests.
Becky Kealy:
“The Irish fishing industry was the sacrificial lamb to protect European interests. By the admission of our own Taoiseach, the Irish fishing industry will and should be disappointed with the contents of the EU-UK Trade Deal and the concessions given to appease Boris Johnson. All the promises and pledges to protect Irish fisheries were undone in an 11th hour backroom deal to appease Boris Johnson and protect European interests. Thousands of jobs stand to be lost across the country, particularly in my own county of Cork, along with millions to local economies. The CEO of the Irish South & West Producers Organisation has stated unequivocally that Irish politicians buckled to Brussels to sell out Irish fishermen to protect Europe. A Cork Taoiseach presided over Cork fishermen being sold out to Brussels. Micheal Martin has broken his promises to the people of Cork to protect our fisheries for Europe’s political preservation.”
“34% of all fish caught by Irish boats are in British waters, now 25% of that share will have to be handed back to Britain by Irish boats. Irish fishermen were sold out by European politicians. The EU agreed to give up 25% of the approximately €650 million in fish EU boats catch in British waters each year, over a period of five and a half years. Who is most affected by restrictions on access and fish in UK waters? The Nation that is most proximate and in fact shares a border with the UK. May induce a situation whereby North of Ireland fishermen benefit more and more from UK waters, and cooperation/dual access lessens. By the time this agreement will be reviewed, the Irish fishing sector could be in very dire straits and have no hopes of competing against larger UK fishing trawlers.”
