
Becky Kealy: Save Our Irish Fishing Fleet, If We Want Next Generation
Kicking off the “Save our Irish Fishing Fleet” campaign in Cork, Aontú Rep for Cork North-West, Becky Kealy, has said we must act now if we want a next generation of Irish fishermen.
Rep Kealy: “Meeting with fishermen and representatives of the Irish South West fish producers organisation in Castletownbere on Saturday the 26th February, I was deeply impacted by the words of these hard working men and women who fear for their the life of their very industry. One fishermen stated quite bluntly: ‘We are probably the last generation of Irish Fisher men and women in this country.’ This is an industry that was the sacrificial lamb of Brexit, and long since forgotten by both Brussels and Dublin. Another fisherman said “working at sea can be stressful and dangerous but fighting for our rights and equality here on land is proving much harder - the government don’t want to listen.” This government is long-deaf to rural Ireland, and the threatened existence of our fishing industry is testament to that abandonment by the Irish government.”
“It is incumbent upon us as political representatives, and also the public at large, to be aware, to be informed and to be vocal about what is happening to this vital industry – which if we do not fight for, will cease to exist. I am calling on the people to get active, to support their fishermen and to protect this imperative, indigenous industry of our own. The Chief Executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, Patrick Murphy, will be speak to me at a public meeting in the Munster arms hotel Bandon on Friday the 4th of March at 7.30pm where he will in explain to the public what is happening. There will be a Q and A session after. Please attend this meeting if you can and spread the word, and contact saveourfleet@aontu.ie to save our Irish fishing fleet.”