Greystones Fishermen’s Ongoing Blues Raised In The Seanad

Taking it to the streets…

atest press release from Senator Aubrey McCarthy, issued on Thursday, February 12th 2026…

Senator Aubrey McCarthy has raised serious concerns in the Seanad regarding the ongoing difficulties faced by the fishing community in Greystones, despite a recent High Court settlement intended to resolve long running disputes over access to harbour facilities.

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator McCarthy said that while the Department believes the matter has been resolved, “the reality on the ground has not changed in any meaningful way.”

He highlighted that the conditions attached to securing a commercial berth in the new marina are “so restrictive that in practice it nearly makes it impossible” for local fishermen to operate. He also expressed alarm at the level of fees being proposed for harbour use, noting that they are “significantly higher than anywhere else in the county, but also higher than elsewhere in the State,” with no clear or consistent method for calculating them.

“This goes well beyond individual operators,” Senator McCarthy said. “Families who have fished out of Greystones for up to five generations have spent 15 years in the courts trying to regain their rights after being removed from the old harbour in 2008 for redevelopment. A legal settlement was only recently reached to provide a safe, functional area, yet the fishing community tells me that while the Department thinks it is fixed, in practical terms it is not.”

Senator McCarthy emphasised that the new marina is a valuable asset to the town, but that traditional fishing activity and modern marina operations should be able to coexist.

“The fishermen and their activities are part of Greystones’ heritage,” he said. “They deserve fair treatment, workable conditions, and respect for a tradition that predates all recent development.”

He has called on the Leader of the Seanad to request that the relevant Ministers urgently revisit the issue, engage directly with the Greystones fishing community, and ensure that the High Court settlement is implemented in a way that is practical, fair, and sustainable.

You can check out the long and winding fishermen protests right about here.