Tag Archives: Holly Cairns

Yesterday.

Dail Eireann, Dublin 2,.

The Minister for Agriculture and Marine Charlie McConalogu is considering initiating a review of the national mackerel quota, which was described by Social Democrats Agriculture Spokesperson Holly Cairns as a “very blatant unfair policy” to inshore fishers.

Minister McConalogue said any decision to change the national mackerel quota would “require a very significant and comprehensive public consultation process”.

Meanwhile, this morning…

…Deputy Cairns said:

“Currently, a paltry 2% of Ireland’s mackerel quota is assigned to vessels under 15 metres while 98% is assigned to just 50 larger boats. This massive disparity is not imposed by the EU, but by the Department of Agriculture – and it is making inshore fishing both unsustainable and unviable.

“Last year, small vessels were stopped from catching mackerel in June, when their meagre annual quota was reached. At the time, I asked Minister McConalogue to act but no help for inshore fishers was forthcoming. With just two months to go before quotas are again exhausted, the Minister must come forward with proactive solutions.

“The alternative is a repeat of last year’s scandalous situation whereby even the operators of the smallest of vessels, who are barely getting by, were not permitted to catch a few dozen mackerel to sell at local farmers’ markets.

“It is entirely within the Minister’s authority to adjust the quota allocation. Even a marginal change, from 2% to 4%, would make a huge difference to inshore fishers and still leave larger vessels with 96% of the catch.

“Existing government policy contradicts Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy, which states the allocation of quota must be based on the environment; social and economic benefits; and the policy preamble – which specifically states that small offshore islands, dependent on fishing, should be especially recognised to enable them to survive and thrive.”

Anyone?

Review of national mackerel quota considered, says Minister for Agriculture (RTE)

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Here’s How.

The current affairs podcast presented by William Campbell (right) meet’s Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns (left), the party’s spokeswoman on agriculture, food and the marine, and further and higher education and disability.

William writes:

The Social Democrats are perhaps the wokest party we have in Ireland, but how sound is their reasoning? Prominent new TD Holly Cairns on this and the effects – and causes of the difference in earnings between men and women…

Listen here

Here’s How


From left: Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns; Tuam Mother and Baby Home burial site

Yesterday.

Dáil Éireann.

Social Democrat TD Holly Cairns asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin if he would observe the ‘legal obligation’ to hold inquests into deaths at Mother and baby Homes.

Deputy Cairns said:

“Under the Coroners Act, it is the duty of a coroner to hold an inquest when a body is found in his or her district and when a person dies in State custody or detention.

Given that the mother and baby homes commission has reported on mass disappeared infants’ and children’s remains in unmarked graves, there is a legal obligation for inquests to be carried out for each deceased individual.

We know this relates to a large number of coroners in every relevant district and would be unprecedented in the use of resources. There is a legal obligation, however. Will the Taoiseach ensure that coroners carry out their duty to ensure that survivors get justice?“

Taoiseach Micheál Martin replied:

“I will make further inquiries on this. There are clearly legal obligations but that in itself is an enormous challenge going back to the early decades of the State from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The 1940s in particular saw an appallingly high infant mortality rate in mother and baby homes. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is developing a broad base response to the commission’s report. How to deal with this will form part of it.”

Anyone?

Yesterday: ‘Gaslighting Survivors’

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