Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have eight minutes of my time left. The point is an appreciation of nature, the cycle of life and genetics.

Young people find out that all of the fish in the River Boyne came from the River Boyne. The salmon do not go to any other river. Whether it is the River Moy, River Lee or wherever it is, the fish are based on the river that they come from and spawn in. The magnificent story and history of the salmon is remarkable. I appreciate that people raised the question of the eels. The information that was given, and perhaps the Minister of State can reply to this, is that the eel is a threatened species. In fact, it could well be extinct in our lifetime so we must protect and conserve it. That is really the most important message of all.

The other issue I want to raise is the question on the nuts and bolts of County Louth. One of the problems we have at the moment is that, whereas previously the county council owned or protected the water courses, they have now transferred to Irish Water. That is interior and should not be a problem. I have been trying for a month to get somebody from Irish Water to meet with some fishermen in Castlebellingham so that they could arrange to park safely in a place which is adjacent to a very small sewage treatment plant, off a lane that they want to fish on. I found it almost impossible, although yesterday I got a promise after about 20 phone calls that something would happen. I praise the fishermen, and particularly Mr. Jim Curley and the people involved in the Dee and Glyde Fishing Development Association, for the tremendous potential that they see in improving the facilities.

I also acknowledge the work that Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, has done. I know in that annual report, it refers, in summary, to how it replaced something like 62 stiles, footbridges and platforms. It spent €219,900 in that year on 32 separate angling facility projects. I know that IFI provides sponsorship every year. I do not have the figures, but when I was Minister of State, it was probably €70,000 or €80,000 in grants to local organisations that were running international fishing competitions. It is a huge bonus for our society, for our tourism and for the future.

The objective of this legislation is to make sure that if a prosecution is brought against somebody who breaks the law, that person should pay a penalty. Prosecutions are rare, which is the key to all these figures. There were 78 prosecutions in that particular year, which is very little compared to all the other activity. If somebody is trying to destroy a unique and special fishing resource, that person should pay the penalty, and should not and must not be protected. The process by which one arrives in that court is what the fixed penalty notice is about. A person does not go to court on the first day he or she is caught doing something wrong. A person gets a warning, then a fixed penalty notice, and those add up to whatever the figure is, and then that person goes to court. When somebody is in the court, there is a series of events beforehand which show that he or she had a warning, got a fine and was given chances along the way. At the end of the day, anybody who would harm or destroy, in a determined, absolutely ruthless way, must face the penalties of the law and those should be severe.

When one goes to the fishing competitions or to the show that is on every January outside Dublin Airport - I do not know if the Ceann Comhairle has been there - one sees hundreds of people there. I do not know the figures that go through every Christmas, but in the days I was there, there must have been 4,000 to 5,000 at the event over the weekend. All the families there are an amazing sight. The biggest revelation to most people who do not know anything about fishing, and I knew very little about it before I went into the job, is that a huge number of people are involved - some 400,000, which is an unbelievable number. It beats every other recreational activity in the country.

I ask the Minister of State to interact with all of us in the Oireachtas to ensure through IFI - obviously IFI is the organisation to do it - that in each county, Deputies and Senators and other public representatives are invited to have a small event, to see the competition, or to sponsor something for children particularly, or for women. It will transform our recreation and amenities, and it will improve our rural facilities. It will lead to the conservation and survival of species. As I said earlier, at least one may disappear in our lifetime. Salmon is under very serious and significant threat.

I thank those in the Chamber for putting up with my comments tonight. I am committed to this issue and I thank everybody in IFI, and in the fisheries section of the Department who helped me to do the job that I tried to do. It was the happiest time I spent in that Department. I spent some unhappy times there as well, but that was a very happy time. I will always remember it and always honour and respect the people I met there, and I acknowledge absolutely their total commitment to their work. It is not just a job today; it is a job for their whole lives. One has to meet them to know how good they are.

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