Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

No, a Cheann Comhairle. I object to the taking of 11d, without debate. This relates to fisheries orders, in particular the postponement yet again of elections to the regional fisheries boards. With your indulgence, I wish to make a point. In 2005 the then Minister of State with responsibility for fisheries, Deputy Gallagher, announced he intended to postpone the elections of members to the fisheries boards. In December 2006 the Government announced it would postpone yet again the elections of members to the regional fisheries boards.

It is interesting to note that when this matter was debated by the committee on 13 December 2006 Deputy Eamon Ryan, who was the Green Party spokesperson at the time, described the second postponement as a shocking indictment of the Government's inability to prioritise the environment and wild fish stocks. He actually called it a cowardly act. We are now being asked by Deputy Eamon Ryan, who is now the Minister responsible, to postpone yet again democratic elections to regional fisheries boards. What are we to think about that? Is this an even more shocking indictment of the Government? Is it an even more cowardly act by the new Minister that for the third time we are being asked to postpone democratic elections that should have been held three years ago and will be delayed for another year?

It is important that we debate this issue. It is not good enough, when we consider that wild fish stocks are at risk, that the Government, which pretends to prioritise the environment, is acting in a worse fashion than the previous Government. I believe we should prioritise the environment but it is clear that we cannot depend on the Green Party to prioritise the environment in Government. I feel strongly about this issue. It is an issue of democracy and environmental conservation. I ask that we have a debate on that issue in this Chamber so that we do not participate in what is a charade in terms of ensuring that we deal with issues here and not somewhere down in the bowels of this House in committee.

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