A Donegal TD says he’s highly concerned over reports in today’s Sunday Independent of a rift between Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon and junior fisheries minister Timmy Dooley.
The paper report that Minister Heydon has told Minister Dooley that he will handle all fisheries elements of the AgriFish council meetings himself during the EU presidency, taking over fisheries negotiations at EU level for the next six months.
During previous Irish EU presidencies, Ireland’s agriculture minister chaired council meetings relating to agricultural policy, while the relevant junior minister handled fisheries negotiations.
Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn. the Sinn Fein Fisheries Spokesperson, says after a recent statement from the Taoiseach that there should be a dedicated fisheries minister in cabinet, this sends a very different message……………
