Why can’t the EU save fishing and ship building industries?
Some days it is hard to fathom how the EU really works and just how the ‘rules’ are supposed to apply. Take two examples in recent days, the fishing industry and Polish shipyards. In Ireland today, the Irish Times reports that Fisheries minister Tony Killeen believes that “Ireland’s case for emergency EU aid for the fishing industry would be “undermined” by provision of exchequer funding” and that, “Economic realities” would rule out Government support for the ailing sector. The Times writes that Killeen “represented Ireland at this week’s EU fisheries council where a €600 million emergency aid package was agreed for vessel owners “hardest hit” by the current fuel price crisis. However, the money would not be available until next year”. The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF) proposed “immediate action at home, with exchequer funding if necessary”. So why do we have to wait when there is a clear crisis in Irish fishing, the latest blow being the increasing price of diesel? But while th
