Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

As part of the overall process of agency rationalisation that the Minister for Finance announced in this year's budget, a new national inland fisheries body will be established, which will replace the eight existing regional fisheries boards and the Central Fisheries Board. Amending legislation will be required to give effect to the decision. I have established a small group, chaired by my Department with representation on behalf of the existing boards, to guide the implementation of this decision.

While I do not intend to pre-empt the work of the implementation group, I am confident an effective system can be put in place under the auspices of the new body, which will ensure the important work relating to the inland fishery resource will be implemented efficiently.

It is clearly in the nature of inland fisheries work that the new body should be organised with a strong regional presence. The relationship between the new body and its regional offices will be determined in due course by the body itself.

With regard to cost savings, the most visible and immediate savings will occur as a result of the reduction in costs of servicing eight separate boards and associated board expenses that are estimated to be in the region of €300,000 per annum.

In addition to financial savings, the new model will consolidate and thus ensure the better use of existing resources and deliver improved value for money management of the State's resource.

I have set a deadline of end August 2009 for vesting day of the new body. The existing structures will remain in place until then.

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