Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On the last occasion the Taoiseach answered questions on the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, he indicated that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions would carry out an assessment of additional staff necessary to pursue prosecutions for breaches of fisheries regulations. Will the Taoiseach indicate if this review has been carried out, if additional staff have been recruited to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and if he is aware of the great anger and resentment in fishing communities that the Government chose a criminal analysis of breaches rather than an administrative range of penalties? There is a strong sense that fishing communities have been criminalised and that this is both inappropriate and not representative of all states' actions in this regard. What is the current situation and what steps have been taken to address staff needs? Is it in that particular vein that new recruitment has taken place and does the Taoiseach have any intention of revisiting the legislation in respect of breaches of the fishing regulations?

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