The Connacht-Ulster independent European election candidate, Ms Marian Harkin, has accused the Government of "taking its eye off the ball" in relation to the EU allocation of blue whiting quotas at next week's EU fisheries council.
The proposed quota for Ireland would give the north-west supertrawler fleet a share-out of less than 40 per cent of its average catch over the last three years. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has raised Ireland's opposition to the proposal at the Cologne summit, while the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has complained to the German Presidency.
Ms Harkin said the emergency meetings represented further evidence of "fire brigade action" by "politicians who had again taken their eye off the ball in the fishing industry".
The fact that Spain is to be allocated a larger share under the EU Commission proposals showed that the Government and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources had again failed to protect the interests of the fishing industry, she said.
Ms Harkin said she had been presented with a "disquieting picture" of the fishing industry while canvassing in Galway, Mayo and Donegal.
The Connacht-Ulster MEP, Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher, has already criticised the commission for presenting unfair proposals which would tie the hands of the new EU Commission.
