Ireland South MEP Liadh Ní Riada will be pushing for All-Ireland initiatives and solutions for the fishing community.
Sinn Féin’s Ms Ní Riada, as the only Irish MEP on the EU Fisheries Committee, has promised to be a strong voice for the fishing communities of the entire island.
“For too long our fishing communities have suffered as a result of weak representation at this level. I will be pushing the all-Ireland dimension at every opportunity particularly when it comes to our fisheries. A 32-county approach certainly provides a way forward in the development and defence of our fishing industry and the livelihoods of fishermen who are already struggling in a very difficult environment,” she said.
Continuing she said, “We want to see our fishing communities represented by ministers from the north and south of Ireland. Such an approach would undoubtedly strengthen our voice when working, through the European Union, to improve the lot of the Irish fishing community.
“Sinn Féin sees this as an essential component of any future strategy for achieving a thriving and sustainable fishing industry in Ireland. This means delivering greater opportunities for our fishermen in Irish waters. In terms of the Common Fisheries Policy, we support greater local control over decision making on the fishing effort.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.