Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I note the budget for inland fisheries has been reduced, if only slightly. Considering the biodiversity crisis we are in, it is disconcerting that we are not putting much more money into and placing much greater emphasis on inland fisheries, which perform an incredibly important function. Our river systems are in dire straits. We only have 20 rivers that are in pristine condition, down from 500 rivers in the 1980s. The direction of travel when it comes to rivers and water quality is most unsatisfactory.

One of the areas in which I do a lot of work is the removal of weirs and barriers. I know that will be a key focus of the European Green Deal. Many barriers in river systems are completely unnecessary and were erected purely for aesthetic purposes but they cause significant problems for fish migration. Upstream water can often be of much better quality than water downstream and we are stopping fish from migrating into better quality water that would expand their range significantly. Are there any plans within the Department to fund a weir or barrier remediation programme? I am working on one such programme with Inland Fisheries Ireland, Wicklow County Council, the local authorities water programme, LAWPRO, and the East Wicklow Rivers Trust dealing with a couple of weirs in Wicklow. A programme that should be rolled out across the country. The Annacotty Weir, for example, is a major barrier to lamprey migration. It is one of those areas where one could make significant improvements with very little investment. Does the Minister have any plans to invest in weir and barrier remediation?