Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Coveney for giving me the opportunity to discuss this matter this evening. As Deputy Coveney was not able to make the committee meeting, he asked me for my opinion on whether the motion should go through without debate. I was very much of the view that this issue should be debated in the Chamber.

I want to touch briefly on the point on which Deputy Coveney finished his contribution, scientific knowledge. One criticism I have is that much of the data available on rivers is EPA-based and tends to be a couple of years old. That is something which needs to be examined by either the regional fisheries boards or the new central agency, whatever it is to be called. The data needs to be months rather than years old.

I live on a salmonid river, the River Bann, where I run a commercial dairy unit. It is taxing work at present, given the number of regulations and the amount of criteria that must be met in terms of running a major dairy unit. However, I compliment the direction and the hard decisions that were made in the past. I have never seen so many salmon in the River Bann, which is a tributary of the Slaney. I do not fish and neither do I poach — this would not be unheard of in north Wexford. Another consideration for the Minister is that the number of people working the rivers or keeping an eye on them is not sufficient. There are some rangers, but not many and 6,000 km is an enormous area to cover.

I also want to touch on an issue I raised with the Minister at the committee meeting regarding the accountability of the current fisheries boards. We have seen that when boards or agencies are merged, they tend to become less accountable. It would be a very retrograde step if the new agency becomes even less accountable than the existing fisheries boards. The Minister knows my view as regards the fisheries boards, which are practically non-accountable. Whatever structures are put in place, there must be public accountability, with some input from elected members of whatever agencies are created. I have a concern, too, with merging for the sake of it. I heard what the Minister said as regards the fish stocks and given my opinion in relation to what I see happening in the rivers. To merge for the sake of it, however, while guaranteeing employment to everyone, is wrong. It is wrong because everyone in this Chamber sees other agencies and Departments that need staff at coalface positions. There could be retraining, so as to provide staff in other agencies and bodies that would benefit the public sector overall.

I have discussed accountability. I hope it will work, speaking as someone who is always proactive and positive. I hope we are not dipping our toes in shallow waters and that in a year or two we find the system is not working well. I always look for betterment and want to see positions improve. We will not vote against the motion.

See this speech in context