Cathal Byrne
Cultural and Educational Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I join other Senators in urging the Government, including the Minister for local government, to produce the action plan on local democracy and make it a key priority to work on it over the summer so that the hard-working councillors up and down Ireland can have clarity about what exactly the changes will be as they face into another round…”
“I join colleagues in thanking so many of the staff here who make it possible for us to do our day-to-day work. That includes not only Martin Hughes and the team here in the Seanad, but also the ushers and all those who make the day-to-day life of Leinster House possible, including those who work in the restaurant, the canteen and behind t…”
“The Senator also raised the situation of the artist Emily Conway from County Mayo, who received an Arts Council bursary in recognition of her important contribution as an artist but which has created a scenario whereby her application for a blind pension has run into difficulty. I encourage him to put that down as a Commencement matter.”
“I feel there is also a responsibility on Dublin City Council to allow for that and to support local residents in the area. In fairness to Senator Andrews, he has spoken about this before in the House. I am happy to take it up with the Leader.”
“However, because the consultation with the consultant took place initially in Monaghan, the HSE refused that application. I encourage Senator Tully to perhaps raise this as a Commencement matter. There is an appeal mechanism through the HSE and the ombudsman. Perhaps that is an avenue for her constituent to pursue.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 - Committee Stage (resumed) and Remaining Stages, to be taken at 12.45 p.m., with the proceedings thereon, if not previously concluded, to be brought to a conclusion at 3.45 p.m.”
The complete record
Every one of 555 lines we hold for Cathal Byrne, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 12.
“Due to environmental concerns about the impact on its habitat, the water could not be touched, walls could not be put in and the dredging could not be done, and the scheme was ultimately refused. I would like to know for the people in Enniscorthy when the Enniscorthy flood scheme will happen. What barriers exist? What can be done? Can we get an update? This is absolutely heartbreaking. I was elected as a councillor for Enniscorthy in 2019. I was chair of the council in 2021 when the town flooded and I still have the same concerns I had then. Over the past 11 months as a Senator, I have repeatedly raised my concerns about the fact that every time heavy rain is forecast, the residents of Island Road and the owners of businesses on the quays look out and ask if it will happen again.”
“Higgins in 2014, an allocation of €55 million to the Enniscorthy flood relief scheme in 2015 and the fact there is cross-party support and buy-in from all politicians locally and the community to the Enniscorthy flood relief scheme, we have not been able to deliver it. There is enormous frustration in the town. This time the water was 4.8 m high. That is 5 ft of water running into businesses in Templeshannon and along Shannon Quay. It is scandalous at this stage. My understanding is that when the Department with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, OPW, made an application to the Minister for public expenditure, it was refused in 2022 because of the presence of the freshwater pearl mussel living under the old bridge in Enniscorthy.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to discuss this important issue. Last Tuesday morning, I stood on Island Road in Enniscorthy, where yet again the River Slaney, which goes through the town, burst its banks and the water spilled out. I saw the residents of Island Road place all their belongings onto their kitchen and living room tables and get out jacks to jack them up to the ceiling in anticipation of the water coming in. We saw flooding that was unprecedented in our town. That is saying something because Enniscorthy has flooded 16 times since 2000. Yet, in spite of a visit by then President Michael D.”
“I certainly agree with a lot of the points raised here. In my experience there are a lot of changes that could be made. I have heard time and again about the idea of e-conveyancing but if we changed the simple practical things I have outlined, we would probably knock six months off a standard property transaction.”
“Having gone through the solicitors' training course, perhaps the same detail is not there compared to what the auctioneers are doing on the other side. There is an opportunity for a bit more collaboration between the two professions. Perhaps this is something that can be looked at also. I have a lot of concerns about where the solicitor profession is going in rural areas and about the sheer lack of trainees in rural practices. In a situation where everybody relies on a solicitor to make a will or buy and sell a house, or perhaps something else that comes up along the way, I am worried that in ten, 15 or 20 years we will see the same situation as we have with access to GPs. If we do not put in place proper mechanisms to ensure trainees are trained up in rural counties and remote areas, the profession will not be there.”
“If we are compelled to lodge an application in the county where we are, there should be a full designated team within the set-up. This is not to take from the good work that the probate offices do but they need more resources. People talk about the frustrations they have with buying their first home. The reality is that when all of the delays that exist in the system are compiled, it is incredibly frustrating. As far as people are concerned, they have agreed to buy a house and they have agreed the price they are going to pay so they should be able to sign a few papers and it is all done and it happens. The course run for auctioneers provides really good detail on the conveyancing process and how it all works.”
“There have been advancements in moving from the Registry of Deeds and the land registry system. I heard the earlier comments about the frustrations Senators have had in their interactions with Tailte Éireann and I share so many of these frustrations. I have found that at times, depending on when applications are lodged, what county they are based in and where they made, there is a different processing time. This is a national organisation and it should never be the case with a national organisation that it operates to different times at a local level. It is the same with the probate offices. In County Wexford at present, which is where I am based, the probate officer is shared with County Waterford. If there is a probate district, it should have its own probate officer.”
“The transaction can go sale agreed, with the buyer and the seller agreeing a price and everything being fine, except probate takes anything from between six months to two years and, unfortunately, until probate is granted the sale cannot be closed. Everybody is stuck in limbo. Everybody wants to close the sale, move the transaction forward and be finished with the deal but, unfortunately, it just cannot be done. This is an area to tease out in more detail and bring forward some of these measures to see how they would work. I do not believe the conveyancing system we have in the country at present can be revolutionised. It has to be incrementally changed with one or two changes a year, and over a ten-year period we will have revolutionised the system.”
“At that stage the process starts with requests for title deeds from the bank. This can take anywhere from two weeks to three months. Then we have to gather up the contracts. When the house had been bought 20 years ago there was no such thing as the property tax, a non-principal private residence discharge or a certificate of compliance for the back kitchen that was put on afterwards. All of these documents now have to be gathered up and that takes another two to three months. At this stage, the person who has agreed to buy the house is five months in and still has not seen a contract. The reality is that this happens far too often. It is the same with probate cases. So many families make the decision to put the family home on the marketplace and sell it before probate is granted. In my experience this leads to so much frustration.”
“I thank our colleagues for tabling the motion and I welcome the Minister of State. I have a unique perspective on this. I am a solicitor and I run my own practice in Enniscorthy in Wexford where we specialise in property, conveyancing and probate. In a past life I lectured with the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers on conveyancing and property law, bringing along the next generation of auctioneers. I have seen this from many different perspectives, and one of the most frustrating things I have seen is that in so many standard property transactions it is only when a sale is agreed, and a willing buyer meets a willing seller who agree a price, that the legal process starts and a solicitor is engaged. Most people only hire a solicitor when they have gone sale agreed.”
“The Fine Gael group supports this motion. It is important to recognise that this is a loan. It is also important to once again condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At this moment, we think of all the families in Ukraine who are currently experiencing loss, having lost loved ones in the invasion thus far. While we regret that a conclusion to the conflict seems far away, we hope that one will come soon and that it will ultimately be agreeable to all of the people across Ukraine who have sacrificed so much since the invasion took place.”
“I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the work done on this Bill. The Credit Review Office service is a very important safety net for small businesses and farmers right across the country. I look forward to swift implementation of this legislation.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. The section is very important as it provides for the new changes that are being made to the credit reviewer committee process, including that the credit reviewer will be accountable to appear before Oireachtas committees, which is very important. I am a member of the Oireachtas joint committee on finance, as are some of the Senators present this evening. It is important that it is within the power of a committee of the House to call the reviewer to appear before it. It could happen in the future that perhaps there is a ratio or percentage that does not allow for what one would expect to come through the Credit Review Office and that could be teased out in a public forum on behalf of the people.”
“Finally, I want to highlight the very significant issue of the crossing at Larkin's Cross, located on the N25 between Wexford town and New Ross. Only two weeks ago, there was, yet again, a very serious accident. It is truly a miracle that nobody was killed in a two-car collision that occurred on that site. We need to have the Minister for Transport in this Chamber to answer directly as to why Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, is taking so long to address the serious road traffic issues at those three sites in Wexford. I encourage the Leader to organise a debate in this Chamber with the Minister for Transport on road traffic generally and on road safety and what can be done to stop so many people losing their lives on our roads.”
“I welcome all my colleagues and the staff and wish everybody a very happy new year. Today, I want to bring up the issue of road safety and road traffic and how the two are mixed. I am particularly struck by so many tragedies that we have seen across 2025 and, indeed, at the start of 2026. In my own area of Wexford, I specifically want to highlight three key areas. Clohamon cross on the N80, not too far from Bunclody and Enniscorthy, is well known to local motorists as an area which, too regularly, sees serious car accidents. Regrettably, it is only a matter of time until there is another loss of life at that site. I want to highlight Kyle Cross on the N11. Located between Enniscorthy and Wexford town, it is an area that has seen far too many fatal accidents over the last number of years.”
“I join in thanking the Leas-Chathaoirleach, the Cathaoirleach and all the staff here in the Seanad. This is my first Christmas as a Senator and I have very much enjoyed the experience so far. I appreciate the work that has been put in in facilitating that. I join with colleagues in wishing everybody a very happy Christmas. The Fine Gael Party will be supporting this legislation and I do not propose to reiterate the statements on public expenditure that we had in this House only a short few weeks ago. We will be supporting the Bill for the reasons outlined by the Minister”
“That is so important and I would encourage Sinn Féin to support it on Thursday as part of the Appropriations Bill when it comes before the House. Fine Gael is supporting this measure and will certainly be voting in favour of today's Finance Bill.”
“I do not see how voting against the Finance Bill, which contains key amendments to ensure viability in research and development and innovation and key measures to attract foreign direct investment, protects jobs, including the vital jobs that I see in businesses like Danone in Wexford, which employs so many people. Those jobs are a direct result of Government policy to incentivise foreign multinationals to come here and provide employment and tax revenue. On Thursday, we will be debating the Appropriation Bill, which will see some of the largest increases ever delivered across key sectors, including tackling the cost of living with large increases targeted at the most vulnerable in society, as well as one of the most significant increases in disability services that the State has ever seen.”
“As was stated in the debate we had on Committee Stage of the Finance Bill, we have to be serious about ensuring that first-time buyers get access to much-needed homes. If we do not support the private sector to encourage house building, the reality is the State cannot build all of the houses we need. We must support the private sector to ensure we have house building. One of the key measures in this is ensuring viability for apartment blocks, which is so important in urban areas, such as here in Dublin and in our larger cities. I also dispute the fact that Sinn Féin is in favour of jobs through foreign direct investment, as it states.”
“In the absence of our finance spokesperson, Senator Joe O'Reilly, I will speak on behalf of the Fine Gael side of the House. We will support the Finance Bill, which is based on supporting young people to buy their first house, ensuring we have a reduction in cost and more viability in the apartment sector by reducing VAT, ensuring we keep jobs across Ireland through a VAT cut for hospitality and hairdressing and ensuring the coffee shops that employ so many people throughout the country will continue to be viable in 2026. I listened to the contribution from Sinn Féin and I have to say we do not agree with it on the basis that some of the recommendations it tabled, including an attempt to try to block the VAT cut for apartments, would ensure apartment building is more expensive.”
“A better use of taxpayer's money would be to examine the existing reports published by all those agencies instead of creating an obligation for another set of reports. Those of us in Fine Gael are against this amendment.”
“While I very much appreciate the need for a comprehensive set of reporting on all aspects of housing in this country, the reality is that we have no end of housing reports. We have the Departments of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Finance and the CSO publishing documentation. The Housing Agency publishes reports examining the housing market. These are only the State agencies. We then have all the private entities that deliver reports such as Goodbody Stockbrokers and Davy Stockbrokers. A plethora of organisations deliver reports. To put in another statutory obligation in the legislation for another set of reports that are already covered by existing bodies does not make sense.”
“As I said, I fully support local authorities and the Land Development Agency building on publicly owned land. There is a very important role for them in that. Indeed, they should be moving faster on that, but I recognise the fact we have a private sector in our housing area. It is very important that supports are delivered to ensure viability for builders in order to build much-needed houses.”
“Fine Gael will support this section. I reiterate some of the points made earlier in the debate around the fact that the State cannot provide all houses, housing developments or apartments that are needed by hard-working first-time buyers, people who are seeking to buy their first starter home, or those who are seeking to move on from their starter home to their forever home. I challenge Sinn Féin to explain how it would go about bridging the viability gap here because the reality is that the private sector has an important role to play in our housing market. Small, medium and large builders are required in order to deliver on the Government's housing targets. It is to recognise the fact there is a very important role for first-time buyers and people in the private sector to purchase those houses.”
“While I appreciate the point that Senator Conor Murphy is trying to make, it is important to recognise the reality of the market, which is that we must have private developers building much-needed apartments. Therefore, on behalf of the Fine Gael party, I support this measure.”
“We must ensure that private builders are able to build houses in a viable way to ensure that supply of houses reaches the targets that the Government recently set in the housing plan. It is important to recognise that a measure such as this ensures that the viability gap in the construction of those much-needed apartments is reduced. I would certainly like to see a scenario whereby every person who is starting out in life, is able to get a mortgage, is working and wants to get ahead, particularly in our large urban areas, such as Dublin, is able to purchase an apartment. Without this measure, it will simply not be possible to ensure the construction of those homes.”
“It is important to recognise that if, as a country, we are to get to grips with the housing crisis, we must ensure we have privately built houses that are available to first-time buyers, people who are downsizing and people who are moving into their forever homes. The reality at the moment is that the companies which are building those houses are saying to us that it is not viable to do that. The reality is that the State cannot provide every housing unit that is needed. There is a very important role for the State in the construction of housing. That is why we have councils and the Land Development Agency building houses on public land. However, there must also be a recognition that the State cannot provide everything.”
“On behalf of the Fine Gael group, and in the absence of my colleague, Senator O'Reilly, I confirm that we will support the section and opposing Senator Murphy's proposal.”
“I listened carefully to what the speaker from Sinn Féin had to say, but it is important to recognise the contribution that IDA Ireland-backed companies have made to the economy. The tens of thousands of people across the country who are employed by them recognise the fact that corporation tax funds the vital public services that everyone relies on across the country from teachers, nurses, doctors, hospitals and our gardaí. It is so important we recognise the contribution of these IDA investments. I support ensuring that we continue to do what we can to ensure that those companies remain in Ireland, providing vital employment and funding our tax base. These measures proposed in the Bill go a long way to ensuring that.”
“If we want to have young people getting into farming and taking it up as a career in order to provide them with an income, we have to ensure that measures like this continue into the future.”
“I recognise the work that was done by the Tánaiste; the Taoiseach; the Minister, Deputy Heydon; and their officials. I also recognise the work that has been done by so many farmers across the country who supported and implemented many of the measures that were brought forward. The reality is that too often there is a stigma whereby farmers are blamed for a reduction in water quality. It is important that we recognise that improving water quality is an issue for everybody. That is why we have the Cabinet subcommittee on water quality. It is a recognition of the fact that we have to bring big business, Uisce Éireann and the EPA around the table, as well as farmers, and ensure this continues to be a priority. I come from the younger generation. Only one in every 20 farmers is under 35, versus the one in three who is aged over 65.”
“Today, I want to support the good news about Ireland's nitrates derogation and to speak for a few moments about it. It is very important to recognise that 7,000 farmers throughout the country are availing of the nitrates derogation. What does this actually mean? Because of our unique grassland environment and the mechanisms that we have in this country that are not available to other European countries to support the dairy industry, it allows for farmers to operate at 2.5 cows per hectare versus 1.6 cows per hectare, which would otherwise be the case were we to lose our derogation. This is about water quality but it is also about recognising the progress and the hard work that has been done by farmers to ensure that we have seen significant improvements in water quality.”
“However, if we do not take the necessary steps now to put this in place and work towards it, then it will be left to another generation and another generation after that.”
“I recognise the work that was done, including by former Taoiseach Enda Kenny, to ensure that when a reunification referendum takes place and were it to pass, Northern Ireland would automatically become a part of the EU, a point made in this Chamber by Senator Conor Murphy. That is so important. I fundamentally believe in this. I really support this and will work with anybody in this Chamber on this issue. I believe in all of the parts put forward in the motion this evening. I want to see the Oireachtas set up a reunification referendum committee. It is important that happens. I want to see this getting top priority in the Government, and I want to see in my lifetime a referendum held and one that is going to pass. I really want to see this. I appreciate that, at 34 years of age, maybe this will not come to be.”
“I look forward to the day when all Members of this House are on doors campaigning and canvassing, explaining to people how important this is and explaining to voters that this is something that needs to happen and needs buy-in. While there would be a perception out there that my party is maybe not as strong on this issue as it needs to be, I joined Fine Gael because I believed fundamentally that it is a party for which this is a core priority. The full title of our party is Fine Gael, the united Ireland party. When it was set up, that was one of the founding beliefs and remains so to this day.”
“If we do not put the necessary groundwork in now across all aspects of government, then a referendum will come along and we will not have fully thought out what it will look like, how it will pass and how we will build a majority on both sides of the Border to make sure it does happen. I would be absolutely devastated if there were to be a referendum on a united Ireland and it did not pass. It is so important that the work is put in now so we build through and on the idea of consent, recognising the importance of reconciliation and that any referendum that happens will be contentious, divisive and require buy-in from all sides.”
“I do not remember news reports of bombs going off, tragedies and deaths. I simply do not, but I am a passionate believer in the need for a united Ireland. The real question is how we get there. The Government has said it does not foresee a referendum taking place within the decade. I think we have to take the steps now to put in place all necessary provisions for what that referendum will look like and how it will work. I support the idea that we should have an Oireachtas committee examining what that will look like. The shared island unit needs to go further and faster. We have to make all necessary preparations, and it is so important that, in this Chamber and the Lower House, we have opportunities to discuss these issues.”
“On this issue, it is important we recognise that in order for there to be a referendum, there must in the view of the British Secretary of State be a majority position on reunification held in Northern Ireland. My view is that the Government has to prepare. In fact, I am critical of the view that this is not a fundamental priority for any Irish government. It is my belief that reunification of this country has to be one of the top priorities for every government and must be until the point when Ireland is one united country in the future. I was seven years of age when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. I do not have any memory of the Troubles growing up. I do not have any memory of the Omagh bombing. Those were simply issues that came along far beyond any living memory I have. I am from a different generation.”
“I welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue. I thank the Sinn Féin Senators for putting it forward. I am from Enniscorthy, a town deeply rooted in the story of Irish republicanism. I grew up listening to stories about the Battle of Vinegar Hill, the United Irishmen of 1798, the rebellion of 1916 and of Robert Emmet and Wolfe Tone. They were big influences on my view of politics. I support the idea of a united Ireland. It is a deeply held belief and passion of mine. It is one I welcome the opportunity to speak about this evening. While I fundamentally disagree with so many issues and policies of Sinn Féin, on this issue we are in common cause. I will be supporting this motion and welcome that the Government is also supporting this motion, and it is great that the Minister of State is here.”
“I want to discuss the whole area of the film tax credit relief and its extension from 32% to 40%. We have a very successful track record in my county, Wexford, of using it to promote the area for films. The beach scenes and many others in the famous film "Saving Private Ryan" were shot in Wexford. Screen Wexford is very successful at promoting County Wexford as a destination for films. I welcome that there will be an increase in the tax credit up to 40%. It is important we get the word out that if the profit made by that film is not up to the value of the credit, the credit can go further and act as a grant and Revenue will give that money back. I recognise that measure in this Finance Bill. On the whole, I recognise the contributions by colleagues. I look forward perhaps to the opportunity to debate this further on the next Stage.”
“Some of the figures on this are quite surprising. At the moment, we have about 5% unemployment, almost a historic low, but it is up from last year's 4.2%, over the past 12 months. I want to speak about youth unemployment. The reality is that almost a third of all people who are unemployed at the moment are aged between 15 and 24. We need to look at this. There was an increase year on year from 10.9% to 13.4%, which is a 15% increase overall. Perhaps we need to look at the reason for that, why it has gone up so much, and why, of the age category who are claiming unemployment benefit, a full one in three are actually in that age cohort. Are there measures that can be brought forward as part of the Finance Bill or in other parts of the Government to look at this?”
“It is not something that I imagine actually costs the Exchequer an enormous amount of funding, but I feel it is important, particularly given the unique context that land might only become available adjoining your farm once in a generation, and perhaps there are certain farmers to whom that opportunity never made its way. The strict measure that was there to ensure that the relief could only be used if it was actually used for acquiring land within two years certainly acted as a counterweight to the measure itself. That should be looked at again. Perhaps the Minister might be able to come back to us, when we move to the next Stage, to tell us what the actual cost to the Exchequer of such a measure was. I want to speak about the increase in youth unemployment. We really need to assess this as a country.”
“This was for farmers, in particular, who had saved money for many years to purchase a farm or piece of land that might come available only once in a generation. The idea was that if you were transferring the farm to the next generation or if a new farmer had inherited the farm from the previous generation, that sum of money and the savings that were built up over many years could be transferred and avail of agricultural relief for the next generation, provided that it was used to purchase land within the next two years. Last year's budget removed the tax relief as a measure, effective from 1 January 2025. I implore the Minister and the officials in the Department of Finance to review that measure and perhaps table an amendment to bring it back.”
“I want to make a number of points. I spoke on the recent statements on the budget in the broader context of budget 2026. I want to make a number of points about the Finance Bill, which is substantial legislation, running to 152 pages. I want to raise a number of issues. On the agricultural front, I recognise the extension of some of the young trained farmer reliefs. It is important that we promote the next generation of farmers. Without farmers, there is no food and it is important that we put in a taxation system and a framework around that that works. In last year's budget, there was a removal of a specific type of agricultural relief, which is called the conditional gift relief.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is important to recognise this is about ensuring people across the country have access to the best possible dental care. As I highlighted earlier, I have concerns we are not training sufficient numbers of dentists and we are not taking on, through the HSE, sufficient numbers of dentists. We have to look at all possible options for children in particular, 2,000 of whom are waiting over four years for dental care. We need to take an all-encompassing approach that prioritises recruitment and while we wait for the RCSI to get up and running, we should see whether we can take on more dentists who have qualified abroad, while ensuring the recognition examination is to the highest possible standard.”
“If we are serious about getting to grips with the long waiting lists we currently have in the HSE for dental care we have to look at taking on more internationally trained, recognised and qualified dentists and allowing them to sit the exam here to ensure they are coming with the highest quality standards people expect and deserve. While the RCSI's new college took its first set of students back in September it will take five years before we see qualified dentists coming through from that, so this is a mechanism we have to look at. I would be grateful for an update from the Department on whether it is possible to speed up the length of time between those international qualification recognition tests.”
“While there were approximately 3,100 dentists registered and practising in 2019, and that figure has gone up to 3,888 in the last set of figures for private practice, we need to recruit more dentists into the system and the HSE. One of the ideas in that area is that we allow dentists who have been trained overseas to work here. A lady who contacted me recently is a qualified dentist from Bolivia. She has an international qualification and worked there for many years as a dentist. She is currently working here as a dental nurse. She told me one of the difficulties she has encountered is that it is taking so long for her to be allowed sit the exam. She would like the opportunity to sit the exam but because it only takes place in an 18- to 24-month application window, she is not in a position to do that.”
“I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for taking this matter. Each week, I am contacted by the parent of a child awaiting a dental procedure or appointment. We know that, nationwide, waiting lists are starting to extend. Approximately 2,000 children have been waiting over four years for orthodontic treatment. I recognise that we now have an additional third level training facility in the new RCSI facility in Sandyford, which, when fully up and running, will produce an extra 75 graduate dentists in addition to those who are currently being trained in Trinity College and UCC. I want to speak about alternative opportunities to increase the number of dentists in the country. Fifteen years ago, there were approximately 23% more dentists working with the HSE than there are today.”
“The industry is under the Minister of State's stewardship and I implore him to ensure sustainable measures are put in place now so that the next generation can take this up and so that the next generation in Kilmore Quay and other harbours across the country see it as a viable source of income.”
“The reality is that, for too long, our fishermen have felt their voice is not being heard at the top levels. That has to change. On behalf of fishermen in County Wexford, I urge the Minister of State to do his absolute best to make sure that voice is heard not just at Government level in this country, but in Brussels, in Europe and at the highest tables in the EU. It is very important that our natural resources at sea are recognised for what they are, an Irish asset that cannot be abused by overseas trawlers from foreign waters coming into our waters and depleting assets that should be the inheritance of the next generation of fishermen here in this country. As with farming, if the next generation of fishermen and fisherwomen do not see this as a vital and crucial source of income, the industry will simply not exist.”