Huge turn-out for 'Fair Deal for Fishermen' Protest in Castletownbere

Businesses closed, children signed off from school and housewives  and fishermen turned out in droves to support the 'Fair Deal for Fishermen' protest in Castletownbere on Fri. last in glorious weather conditions.   However, only 1 of our 3 T.D.'s turned up - which was noted by everyone present.  Jim O'Keeffe, Fine Gael T.D. for Cork South West along with his colleague Simon Coveney, from Cork City attended the Rally.  Noel Harrington and John O'Shea, Fine Gael County Councillors also attended.  There was nobody representing our Government - Fine Fail or indeed the P.D.'s  It just goes to show that peripheral communities do not come high in their list of priorities.  Well then - it is time they put these communities on their agenda.  Judging by the response from everyone who attended, people will not sit idly by and let our only natural resource (in Beara) be dwindled away by decisions made either in Dublin or in Brussels.  Cllr. Noel Harrington put it in a nutshell and drove it home to everyone there when he said that there will be no Technology Parks or Industry directed to this region - fishing is on our doorstep and everything must be done to protect that right.  John Nolan, apologised for campaigning for Fianna Fail prior to the election earlier this year - he was now embarrassed by their non-presence there.  He also stated that the Irish Authorities should stop hounding their own people.  There are no Spanish, French or Portuguese Fishermen ever arrested by their own Governments.  Why is is that Ireland do?  Another huge anomoly pointed out by him was the fact that a Finnish Fisherman arrested in his country is charged only 84 Euro while our fishermen are charged a minimum of 12,000 Euro.  Where is the EU Policy  - different for each country?   Every fish landed by Irish Fishermen are logged and checked by the Irish Authorities but only spot checks are occasionly  done on foreign vessels landing here.   Jason Whooley, Manager of Irish South & West Fish Producers' Organsation, one of the 3 main bodies instigating these rallies all over the country today, thanked everyone for turning up, some who had travelled long distances to lend their support.   He especially thanked the I.F.A. who have come out in support of their cause.  He stated that he hoped that in the future that the same support would be there should we need it, as this may only be the start of a long and tough campaign.  He went on to say that the items  (see press release) he was going to speak on were already spoken on very clearly by Simon Coveney earlier.