Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I have similar concerns about the figures in the Estimates. It appears there is a reduction in the staffing, and certainly in the amount of money being allocated towards pay, in the area of inland fisheries. We are in a biodiversity crisis, with increased pressures on our fish populations. Throughout the Covid pandemic, while the rivers have been very quiet, I am hearing anecdotally that there has been an increased number of significant poaching incidences because there have not been as many people out on the rivers surveying the systems. Are there plans to expand even further beyond this? There does appear to be a reduction in those figures.

I do not know if this is funded under the inland fisheries programme, but who funds LAWCO? What section does it come under?