THIS ISLAND NATION RADIO PROGRAMME – Tom MacSweeney’s Weekly Blog - June 30
Thank you to the readers/listeners who have contacted me following the historic meeting of the Dáil in the Convention Centre in Dublin on Saturday and I thank them for doing so. In wishing Taoiseach Micheál Martin well in office, Michael Lowry TD from Tipperary, quoted the farewell ending I have used on my maritime programmes for 25 years - the words “Fair Sailing.” It surprised me, but was pleasant to hear and intriguing that the words were quoted by a Dáil Deputy from and inland county!
THE NEW MARINE MINISTER --- There has been some mixed reaction from the marine sector to the appointment of 52-year-old Barry Cowen as the new Minister for the Marine. He is also Minister for Agriculture. From Clara in County Offaly, he is brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, after whose retirement from the Dáil he was elected. Most of the criticism seems to be because he is T.D. for Laois-Offaly, not a renowned maritime location. He should be given time to make his mark on the portfolio. An auctioneer and valuer by profession, in the last Dáil he was Fianna Fail spokesman on Public Expenditure and Reform. In his first address to the European Commission this week he said: “Ireland, as an island nation, is committed to protecting the interests of its fishing industry, with serious issues involving quotas shares and access to UK waters.” On radio he said that the fishing and maritime community should not feel concerned because he is from a landlocked county.
OTHER MARINE-RELATED APPOINTMENTS IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT --- It is interesting that Galway's Hildegarde Naughton (43) has been appointed a Super Junior Minister to the Maritime Transport portfolio, which gives her a seat at Cabinet. Transport has had the Coast Guard within it, so how that area is handled will be of interest. It should also be noted that in previous years it was pressure from the ports and shipping to be moved out of the Department of the Marine which was a factor in sounding the death knell of that Department by removing a significant part of its economic profile. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan is Minister for Climate Action and Transport with a massive offshore wind energy programme in prospect . Of significance to watersports is that 47-year-old Deputy Green Party leader Catherine Martin from Dublin Rathdown has, amongst her tasks, that of Minister for Sport.
WHERE IS THE FISHING INDUSTRY? ---- Where is the Fishing Industry in the scheme of things? Hugo Boyle CEO of the Irish South and East Fish Producers’ Organisation asks the question in the July edition of the MARINE TIMES, where he says the treatment of the industry is “disgusting”. He says that marine matters are spread over too many Departments, a point which has been made for some time by many sources in the sector.
NEW WATERFORD SHIPPING SERVICE ----- Hapag Lloyd Ireland , in partnership with BG Freight Line's 'feeder' services are to launch a new port offering from Belview Port in Waterford. The Port of Waterford says it will connect local businesses with the deep-sea shipping hubs of Liverpool and Rotterdam. Exporters have been reliant on the ports of Dublin and Cork .
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SAILING ---- For everyone who gets on board a yacht to go racing as clubs return to competitive sailing this week, the core issue of a successful resumption is going to be personal responsibility, according to the Chief Executive of the national sailing authority, Irish Sailing. He also said that there are clubs around the country whose income has been hit by delayed membership renewals because members have been waiting to see what level of sailing would be possible. He said that if they ae not supported there may be some clubs who will not be able to continue in existence. The CEO is my guest on my Podcast on Afloat.ie this week.
DAY OF THE SEAFARER --- The ‘Day of the Seafarer” worldwide was last Friday. Remember how important they are to an island nation. There was no official or national media acknowledgement of the day in this island nation. No surprise in that!
FUTURE OF THE NAVAL SERVICE ----- Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, has said that one of his immediate priorities will be to address the manpower crisis in the Naval Service which has had to tie-up ships due to lack of crews. He said that the Naval Service needs a “response” from him in advance of a Commission which is to be set up to examine all aspects of Defence.
OLDEST VIKING SETTLEMENT IN ICELAND ---- Archaeologists have unearthed what may be the oldest Viking settlement in Iceland, a longhouse summer settlement built in the 800s, decades before seafaring refugees are supposed to have settled in Iceland. It was hidden beneath another building said to hold "treasures."
BIG QUESTIONS FOR NEW GOVERNMENT TO ANSWER ---- Does the Government discriminate against the fishing industry. MARINE TIMES in a front page leading article in the July edition, in the shops now, says it does.
NEW ZEALAND AMERICAS CUP TEAM SAYS ITS SECRETS HAVE BEEN LEAKED --- America’s Cup defender, Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ), has terminated its agreement with an unnamed contractor after it emerged that secrets may have been leaked from its Auckland base. ETNZ released a statement in which it said the team, along with race organisers America’s Cup Events (ACE), “became suspicious that we had informants” within ACE. It said these suspicions “were confirmed when we had confidential and sensitive information coming back to us from Europe very recently”.
DAILY MARITIME NEWS --- On TWITTER: @TomMacSweeney
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