Dáil debates

Wednesday, 12 October 2005

3:00 pm

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

While I am aware that the Joint Committee for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources submitted recommendations yesterday, 11 October 2005, regarding the future management of the wild salmon resource in Ireland, I have not had the opportunity to consider those fully in the intervening 24 hours nor have I had the opportunity to undertake any consultations on the committee's report since its publication. However, I welcome the publication of this report and take this opportunity to thank the joint committee for its decision to conduct a review and give all stakeholders an opportunity to be heard by the committee. This has illuminated the various and wide-ranging issues surrounding the management of this important natural resource.

The Deputy will be aware that as part of this review, the joint committee held public hearings in April of this year. When addressing those hearings, I made the point that the management of this natural resource is rarely a simple and straightforward matter. I also reiterated the Government's long held view that our wild salmon stock is a national asset which must be conserved and protected as well as being exploited as a resource by all on a shared and sustainable basis. I am pleased, therefore, to note from the report that the joint committee acknowledges the complexity of this issue and makes "the unequivocal observation that its report must not be seen in terms of winners or losers and that the debate and focus of effort must be on the survival of the salmon species".

I will examine carefully the recommendations made by the joint committee in this regard. As an immediate first step, I have already asked the new national salmon commission, which held its first meeting yesterday, to ensure that the joint committee's report receives priority in its consideration of how best the wild salmon resource may be managed, conserved and exploited on a shared and sustainable basis into the future, having regard to Government policy.

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