Deputy Pearse Doherty.
POLITICS: Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Deputy Pearse Doherty has today criticised the government over its failure to successfully negotiate on behalf of the seafood industry for an easing of rigorous new restrictions on Irish live Crab exports to China.
In a reply to a Dáil Question tabled by Deputy Doherty in which the Minister was asked to outline the progress made to have new rules on cadmium levels imposed on Irish crab exports by Chinese authorities removed, Minister Coveney could not provide any evidence that negotiations to date had been successful in persuading the lifting of the new restrictions which continue to harmfully impact on the sector.
Deputy Doherty told Donegal Daily, “I’ve received ongoing correspondence from exporters in relation to these new limits which have been imposed on consignments of Live Crab destined for China and the sector has expressed concern about the negative impact which these new restrictions are having on the industry since their introduction last October.
“I’ve been actively raising this issue with the Minister ever since, and each time the Minister has failed to indicate that there has been any meaningful progress made to date to persuade the Chinese authorites to lift or to even reconsider these restrictions.
“Instead, Minister Coveney continues to state that the SFPA along with his department are making every effort to resolve this issue, however he has given no evidence to suggest that dialogue between the two countries on this issue has been successful, and exporters have yet to hear of any progress, this being despite the fact that their industry continues to suffer.
“In November in fact Minister Coveney admitted to me that attempts to raise the issue with the relevant bodies in China had proved unsuccessful, and it appears that little progress has been made since.
“Crab exporters were first granted access to the Chinese market back in 2010 following bi-lateral co-operation between the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and authorities in China, and the sector has subsequently expanded and is now estimated to be worth €3 million in value.
“Evidently, exporters here have benefitted from having gained access to the country when selling their products, however the Minister has not done enough to stand up for them and to negotiate on their behalf now that access to China has effectively been blocked.
“This impasse is having a detrimental impact on our exports and our seafood sector, and nowhere is this felt as much as in Donegal where the industry plays a key role in our economy.
“It’s high time that the Minister actually steps up to the mark and defends the industry here instead of simply acknowledging that a problem exists.”
