asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is aware that the importation of fish from Scottish sources is creating difficulties for Irish inshore fishermen as a result of which three Kilkeel boats were recently forced to return home from Howth having been unable to obtain an economic price for their catches; and, if so, whether he will take such steps as are necessary to protect the interests of the inshore fishermen by the limitation of imports of Scottish sea food.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Imports of Fish.
I am not aware that importation of fish from Scottish sources had any bearing on the incident in relation to three fishing boats from Kilkeel, County Down, to which the Deputy refers.
I understand that these boats arrived at an hour which was too late for that day's market, but that, nevertheless, the skippers were not prepared to accept at first the price offered by the buyers. They agreed to do so later, by which time, however, owing to the probable effect of the hot weather on the condition of the fish, the buyers decided to withdraw their offer.
Is the Minister aware that on the 22nd June three Kilkeel boats arrived at Howth? They had with them roughly 130 cran of herrings. They were offered 45/- per cran although the price last year at this time was £4 per cran. They felt it was not an economic price and they decided to hold out. Eventually they found that they could not get a higher price and the buyers then refused to take the fish, with the result that they were forced to turn home with their catch. Is the Minister aware that the fishermen feel that the cause of this is the importation of Scottish smoked fish under the 1938 agreement? Will the Minister investigate the position with a view to seeing that the interests of the Irish fishermen are protected and that the interests of foreign fishermen are not considered of paramount importance?
If the Deputy would be good enough to invoke the assistance of these fishermen from County Down to persuade the Northern Ireland authorities to abandon the ludicrous pretence that the County Down fishermen are to be identified with Scottish fishermen rather than recognise that they are Irishmen, I would find it easier to provide for our own people, and if these fishermen are allowed to rejoin their own country it would afford me considerable pleasure to extend the same protection to their interests that I hope very shortly to be in a position to extend to the interests of the rest of the inshore fishermen of Ireland.
Ad interim, I should say that the facts are that on the 22nd June these fishermen from County Down came to Howth and they sold 15 cran of fish at £3 from the first boat, which had a small catch. The remaining boats had between them over 100 cran for which they were offered £2 5s. Od. They got in touch with their own port to see if they would get more at home. When they got word from home that they could not get as much, they came back and said they would take the 45/-. I think it is legitimate to presume that the fellows here put two and two together and thought that, as the fish were not worth 45/- in Kilkeel, they were not worth 45/- here; that they would not be able to sell them till the next day; that they would be just as well off without them; and they exercised their discretion to withdraw the offer. I think the Deputy would agree with me that we would be great fools if we got between the fishermen and the buyers and started making their bargains for them. They were offered 45/- and they refused it, hoping to raise the price further, very naturally and commendably. But, by the time they came back, the other boys had gone down and they missed the market.
I do not agree that the fishermen concerned should be left entirely at the mercy of the buyers and I think some arrangement should be made to protect the fishermen. I am sure the Minister will agree that these County Down fishermen are our people equally with other fishermen.
I agree entirely, and I hope shortly to put the fishermen of County Down in the same position that the fishermen of the rest of the country enjoy—that they will be the sole importers of fish into this country.