Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. No doubt he will be joined at some stage during the debate by his colleagues who are conspicuous by their absence and spoke with forked tongues on the 2006 Bill, as my colleague, Deputy McCormack, might have described their contributions. I am aware that the Minister of State has a particular interest in fishing, quite apart from it being his ministerial responsibility. I read with interest the comments on his website prior to his elevation to the office of Minister of State. I know he will not allow himself to become hidebound by officialdom and hope his free thinking will prevail in his consideration of this Bill.

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