Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I move amendment No. 14:

In page 17, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following:

"(2) Regulations under subsection (1) will provide that the level of fees to be charged shall be indexed to the general level of aquaculture and fisheries licensing fees in the Republic of Ireland.".

This amendment is a plea to the Minister. These amendments refer to the concerns of stakeholders about the level of fees that would be utilised, given the context of the earlier salmon discussion in which colleagues were engaged and the commission's need for revenue. Stakeholders were gravely concerned that licences and fees would tend to be higher than equivalent fees in the Republic. It was the view that they should be indexed to the level of fees in this jurisdiction. We have become accustomed to this with the drift and draft licences. They came before the House and we were able to invigilate them. Our stakeholders on the two loughs should not be disadvantaged as against those in other parts of Ireland, and they should not be treated harshly.

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