Dr. Alyne Elizabeth Delaney:

He asked about equity, but the Chairman asked me not to go too far in that direction. Deputy Ferris also made a comment about non-Irish crew and said that it is perhaps because there is not a reasonable income. From what I have seen in Scotland and other places, the main problem, apart from the difficult income, is the insecure future. The crew would often have the goal of eventually getting their own boats and becoming independent operators. One of the main issues is that they do not see a future because there is so much capital investment needed to become independent operators. It is really a question of the insecure future. If people feel more secure or if there are policies that would help them toward a more secure future then more local people will be willing to sign on as crew because they can see that they can perhaps also move forward.

Deputy McNamara asked who should conduct social impact assessments. It depends on what one is trying to study. Social impact assessments first came about in the early 1970s with the National Environmental Policy Act in the United States. Impact assessments were designed to take place ahead of policy changes. Someone said it is too late afterwards. The idea is to do it ahead of time to try to get an understanding of the impact. Ideally, it would be conducted by a social scientist who has some training. Who asks the scientist to conduct it depends on what the policy is. If it is a policy through the Department responsible for fisheries then that Department should ask for it. The European Commission has had impact assessments done on some of its policy changes but that is at a very high level. At ground level, it should be whoever is instituting the policy change. That is the ideal. I have done some ad hoc contracts. Ultimately, the people making the policy change should be the ones saying this needs to be done. If it is a national policy it should be organised at national level. Local people might say it is not being done and they want it done but then the question of funds arises.