Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I propose we send the invitation back out to the Minister and the HSE that those whom we invited to come today would come again to one of our meetings in the near future. There was a list the petitioners gave us that day of about ten or 12. If we fail to get the Minister and so on the next day, we will get in contact with the petitioners and try to arrange that someone else whom they were asking be brought in would be brought in. But we will strive to get the Minister and the HSE to sit in front of us here so that the committee and other Deputies and representatives from that area can come in and quiz them.

The recommendation, then, is that correspondence from the HSE be forwarded to the petitioner for comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. P00008/23, to stop legal netting of Atlantic salmon in Castlemaine Harbour, is from Daniel Brosnan. The petitioner advises that the continued legal netting of an endangered species, namely, Atlantic salmon, in the Castlemaine Harbour should be stopped. Castlemaine Harbour is classed as a special area of conservation where salmon are an actual quantifying interest. The petitioner maintains that the number of salmon returning is at an all-time low and adequate data is not provided by the fish counter on the River Maine.

The committee agreed on 30 November 2023 that this petition be referred to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action in accordance with Standing Order 128(2)(b), in respect of actions in relation to petitions, and inform petitioner of the same.

The committee referred this petition to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action as agreed on 30 November 2023.

We received a response on 18 January 2024 advising that the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action will consider this issue and the broader issue of fish migration and stacks as part of its work programme discussion. The recommendation is that the petitioner be informed that this petition is now referred to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action and that the petitioner be reminded that correspondence from the Inland Fisheries Division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, which was forwarded to him for comment within 14 days, is still outstanding. Do members have a view or is that agreed?