Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

There is a partnership arrangement within the national salmon commission whereby its members advise me.

The Deputy forgets that it is not all about science. There are human and social factors involved also. If I went to Europe in December to fight on behalf of the Irish people on the basis of science alone, the Deputy and others would be the first to criticise me for not taking the human and social factors into consideration. The Deputy should get into his car or on his bicycle and visit the west coast and the islands to see the importance of this matter to the people there. I am being responsible in this matter despite the fact the Deputy and others are trying to portray me as otherwise and suggest that I am only interested in local politics. Of more than 800 licences, approximately 120 of them are in Donegal. The Deputy should remember the extent of the coastline from Malin Head to Bundoran. The Deputy needs to be realistic and sensible. I will work with all sides to try to ensure we have a sustainable salmon industry into the future.

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