I wish to put on the record that at 11.25 p.m. today the constituents of Mayo and Ireland could not say we are not serving the country and the cause well. The Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, should be on this side of the House supporting me on this worthy Adjournment matter. Those in the inshore fishing industry have been badly affected by the regulations introduced by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. I call on him to reverse his decision. Yesterday he went part of the way by reducing the price of tonnage by 50%. I call on him and the Government to postpone these regulations.
The Minister of State will be aware that those involved in this area from north Mayo and in other coastal areas have a very difficult life. The Minister's licensing proposals will have a major effect on them. It will cost some of them between £30,000 and £50,000 to stay in business, which they cannot afford. It will mean them having to leave the industry.
Those involved in the industry in the west and in rural areas were involved in a way of life. The Minister has fallen out with every sector in the fishing industry. I am disappointed he is not present tonight. Public representatives in Mayo have been lobbied by these people and I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, Deputy Cooper-Flynn and Senator Chambers have lobbied the Minister, as has the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Deputy Coughlan. I call on the Minister to abandon his proposals and to ensure that regulations be debated in this House. His proposals are illegal and it is wrong for him to introduce them without the approval of the House. If he does not withdraw them they will be contested in the courts.
Many families involved in this area have passed on their skills from son to grandson. As a result, generations of families will be affected by these proposals. A young man telephoned me today to say he had bought a new boat and tonnage last year. He will be disadvantaged by these proposals.
In Spain, any vessel under 12 metres is not regarded as a boat. I have no problem with the safety regulations but I have major difficulties with the prices the Minister is proposing. Those affected cannot afford them. He is destroying an industry which provides the only work people in parts of my constituency, especially in the north Mayo area, can get.
I call on the Minister of State, as a constituency colleague, to pressurise the Minister to change his mind. Since taking office he has fallen out with every sector in the fishing industry, including the anglers, those involved in drift net fishing, draft net fishing and, now, the inshore fishermen. He is acting more like a dictator than a Minister. These proposals must be postponed and debated in the House before they are implemented. Let the House decide if they are in keeping with the regulations from Brussels.
What is happening is wrong. We are attacking the small people and rural Ireland while the big fishing fleets from Spain and other countries are mopping up our fishing industry as we do nothing about it. The Minister took a step in the right direction yesterday when he cut back on the tonnage aspect by 50%. He should now go further and abandon his proposals.