Mr. Seán de Buitléar:

I want to make a quick point about Deputy Danny Healy-Rae's proposal for the clean-up of rivers. If there is joined-up thinking to solve the issue there would be substantial benefits from the point of view of tourism angling. By cleaning up the spawning streams and creating suitable conditions for fish spawning one immediately increases fish stocks in rivers and, therefore, rivers become more attractive to anglers. There are multiple benefits to be gained from undertaking such work apart from the fact that it alleviates flooding.

It is a matter of joining up the thinking and working with the likes of Inland Fisheries Ireland and the other bodies. The farmers can absolutely do it. There is a perfect example in Devon Cornwall, under the West Country Rivers Trust, which has opened up substantial rivers to angling because they have worked with the farmers. They are part and parcel of the project. They have created much new angling space on rivers that were heretofore covered in briars and branches and whatever else. They have worked with the farmers and the farmers are getting a payment through the anglers coming onto their lands. It is working very well. There are opportunities to expand the tourism angling initiative by undertaking work like that.