A Dáil motion led by Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD to reverse a controversial penalty points system for fishers has been voted down.
The Sinn Féin Private Members Bill sought to annul a new system of penalty points for Ireland’s offshore fishing fleet.
The bill received 61 votes in favour and 78 votes against.
Donegal Deputy Padraig Mac Lochlainn, who is the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Fisheries, has said he will continue to fight against the “unfair and unjust” scheme.
Speaking before the vote, MacLochlainn TD said: “This scheme, as with the last one that Fianna Fáil annulled, accepts a ‘balance of probability’ position for prosecution and allows a situation where applied penalty points remain on a licence even after a court of law may deem after a court appeal that a fisher did not commit an offence.
“It also allows allocated points to transfer and multiply with the sale of a quota even though the purchaser will not have committed any offence and furthermore allows the nominated authority by Government to oversee the penalty points system to essentially be judge, jury and executioner.”