Éamon Ó Cuív urges action on meat industry and shellfish crisis
Éamon Ó Cuív warned of crises in the meat, fishing and shellfish sectors, calling for a task force on meat industry terms and urgent income support for coastal communities. He criticised the EU fishing deal as insufficient and urged immediate action on collapsing shellfish prices and measures to help small inshore operators.
Meat industry concerns
The speaker urged the minister to establish a task force to examine terms and conditions and the structure of employment in the meat industry - saying COVID has highlighted widespread infection among workers and requesting figures on cases.
Coastal communities and shellfish losses
He described last year as disastrous for coastal communities, citing falling shellfish prices, reduced tourism and the ending of environmental schemes. He said small operators in the west who earn from two or three sources need urgent income support.
Fishing industry and EU negotiations
He criticised the EU fishing negotiations, saying the industry was "thrown under the bus" at the last minute and that a better deal would have been preferable. He emphasised that fishermen do not want payments to keep boats idle - they want to fish.
Oysters and price collapse
He highlighted a dramatic fall in oyster prices from about nine euro per kilogram to two, calling the situation non-viable for shellfishing and urging substantial support to stabilise the sector.
Small inshore boats and funding needs
He agreed with a colleague on the plight of "peers" operating from currucks, who he said are the backbone of lobster, crab and other shellfish work. He called for a substantial increase in funding for these small operators.
Russell Veal on the agenda
He insisted that Russell Veal must be placed on the agenda this year, urging the minister to prioritise the issue.
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Minister, I'd like to reiterate what's been said about the meat industry. I think there is a need for a task force to look at terms and conditions and the whole structure of employment within the meat industry and COVID has certainly highlighted this and I think it'd be fair to say that there are very few workers in the meat industry that haven't sooner or later contracted COVID. you might give us the figures on that. The second issue, Minister, I'd like to raise with you is the fact that last year was a disastrous year for coastal communities. Price for shellfish, tourism and also the fact that the environmental schemes are coming or have come to an end. you know my concern about the new environmental scheme. Small operators who earn living from two or three sources in the west of Ireland need income support and they need it urgently. Now I'd like to address the issue of fishing and the reality is that the fishing industry was thrown under the bus by the European Union in the last minute in the talks. And I do hear what people say and that is that it was better than a no deal arrangement but a good fishing deal would have been a hell of a lot better than a bad fishing deal. And I don't think there was ever any question of a no deal arrangement to be quite honest. It was always going to be sorted out at the 11th hour on the last day. So Minister, there is a crisis and fishermen do not want to get paid to tie up boats. They want to fish. Shell fishing, as you know, I've raised it to time and again, oysters which are a delicacy that have to be sold fresh. Price has gone from something nine euro kilogram down to two. We've got a major major crisis. It's not viable at the moment. And finally, I would have to agree with Deputy Gannon regarding peers. Now in your reply you said that a lot of money has been given to peers. To be quite honest Minister, it literally wouldn't wet your tongue. We did a survey of all the peers. I funded one 20 years ago. And there are an incredible number of small peers for the people who operate out of what we call currucks. Small open boats, who are the backbone of the lobster, crab and other shellfish industries. Very, very, in terms of big developments around this country, the billions in Lewis and the billions in Dart and the billions in this and billions in that. We need that fund to be substantially increased. And finally, Minister, Russell Veal must get on the agenda this year. FEDERRPOLuation party. FEDERRPOLいうことand that is now follows a number of small child Tactics power to можно across a BJU, large child Tactics power. General court andOrange fij privately. Federal court is really saying it remembers
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