Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

12:00 pm

Photo of M J NolanM J Nolan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It was published in November and it was hoped then that it would be enacted before the end of 2009. Unfortunately, that did not happen but we are now towards the latter stages of agreeing this legislation.

The Minister in the budget spoke about the rationalisation of State agencies and this Bill will rationalise the Central Fisheries Board and the seven regional fisheries boards. There are many good, dedicated people involved in these fisheries boards. It is a pity that so many of them will lose their positions but I accept the principle behind the rationalisation and hope the individuals who were members of the boards will find a forum in which they can offer their expertise and experience.

My contacts with anglers lead me to believe there is no one as passionate as fishermen. They love their hobby and are genuinely dedicated to fostering it, particularly in inland fisheries. They tell us that the best policemen for the rivers are the fishermen themselves and that is the case. Their pastime is based on the retention of a healthy stock of fish and if the fish are not in the rivers, their pastime will be affected. It is in their interests that legislation enacted by this House is successful.

Recent problems with the diminishing stock of salmon and the role taken by the Department to ensure stocks were not depleted to extinction is evidenced by reports recently of increased salmon stocks. In some rivers, such as the Slaney in my constituency, different rules were set down for salmon fisheries. In the Barrow, salmon fishing was banned completely, while catch and return was allowed on other rivers. That is to be welcomed. Genuine anglers accepted the implementation of that recommendation. It is unfortunate that so many of these dedicated individuals who served on the fisheries boards will no longer have this forum in which to offer their expertise.

In the budget speech, the Minister spoke of rationalising the numbers of State bodies. As part of this process, the new inland fisheries authority will be established and this new authority will be in place in the near future. An interim chief executive was appointed by the Minister of State in August and has taken up his role. He is an experienced executive who brings a lot to the table and he will be in charge of an organisation with a budget of €30 million.

Some of the areas he must look at include river quality. This new organisation must work with organisations such as Waterways Ireland and the OPW. The quality of our rivers has improved over the years because more stringent regulations have been put in place for planning permissions regarding effluent. That has led to improvements that allow for vibrant fish life.

The greatest threat to fish life in the past 20 years comes from off-shore netting, of salmon in particular. Canada has successfully overcome that problem by buying out many of the net owners. I have raised the issue in the House previously and we should not lose sight of it.

Fishing and angling are a source of revenue to Irish tourism. The various tourism organisations acknowledge the role and input of fishing. It must also be acknowledged that it is an indigenous sport for local fishermen.

I refer briefly to the appointment of the board. The Ministers for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government make appointments and one board member will be elected by the board's staff following the standard procedure. The Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources will have the right to recommend to the Minister the appointment of three nominees. This is a new departure in terms of appointments to State boards and the Minister is to be commended for introducing it. It was first developed in respect of appointees to the RTE board and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, in which respect an Oireachtas sub-committee had an input.

This process is over and done with, the recommendations are with the Government and we are awaiting appointments. Two weeks ago, the committee met to evaluate the process used in making its recommendations. It has made other recommendations based on our experience and, I hope, fine tuned the process to ensure that the best quality people are recommended to be appointed as board members.

I wish this legislation a successful passage through the House. The Bill updates the penalties applicable to certain offences under its remit. In this regard, I do not understand why legislation is not index-linked with the cost of living. In this way, primary legislation would not be necessary to make a change. Instead, penalties would be reviewed annually.

The Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources examined the situation in the Loughs Agency, a joint venture between the Northern Ireland fishery authorities and the authorities in County Donegal. We could all learn from what it is doing. Conservation methods on both sides of the Border are working successfully and could be applied in other areas.

Photo of John BrowneJohn Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Nolan for sharing time. Having been in the Department for a few years, I am well aware of the Bill and the implications of the new set-up for fisheries. I spent two years ensuring that the Bill did not enter the House because I do not agree with the top-down approach to this development. I always believed the seven regional fishery boards represented all of the country and had a vast knowledge of the areas in which they operated. While different governments took a bottom-up approach during the past ten years, we were going in the opposite direction. The Minister has obviously given this matter much consideration and I am sure he believes it is the best approach in the modern era.

The seven regional boards and the Central Fisheries Board have existed since 1980 and served the inland fisheries adequately. Many of their members of recent years possess much expertise and experience, so some formula should be found to ensure they are not lost to an important fishery sector. The Minister refers to setting up a forum and advisory councils, but these should be strongly stitched into the legislation. We should not just hope that this will be handled by the new inland fisheries Ireland. We need strong guidelines to ensure that this will be done. Many of those heading up new inland fisheries Ireland were senior members of the fisheries boards and might not take too kindly to having the same people directing or advising them again, but I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the expertise of the people in question is brought to bear.

Will the Minister of State address a few issues in his reply? I was in the Department when we spent €30 million buying out the drift net fishermen. We were assured by scientists at the time, although I have serious reservations about scientists and what they might tell one. It is like the expertise in the economic sphere, in that much of the advice one gets sometimes bears no relevance to the issue on the ground. Three years on and salmon fishing is still not allowed in the River Slaney. There is catch and release on the estuaries of the rivers Nore, Barrow and Suir. The Minister of State might advise us on what scientists are now saying and whether it will take another one, two or five years before the River Slaney is full of salmon. It is one of our great salmon rivers, yet there is no salmon fishing. At the time, we told rod fishermen to come along with us because, in three or four years time, salmon would return to our rivers, but that does not seem to be the case.

On catch and release, when we made the decision to ban drift net fishing, I understood that there would be training schedules for fishermen in areas where catch and release was allowed. In Scotland and elsewhere, people are trained in this area, but it is not the case in Ireland. Will the Minister of State arrange for FÁS or another Government agency in the training area to train fishermen in this regard? Genuine rod fishermen tell me that, when they catch and release, many salmon die because they are not caught or released properly. This is causing much concern. Will the Minister of State arrange for training facilities?

At the time the licence fee was increased, it was to be ring-fenced to provide adequate staff for a river inspectorate. Fishermen tell me that while we banned drift netting and stopped fishermen from fishing, poaching is alive and well on all of our rivers. It has increased substantially, since fishermen are no longer on the rivers to protect them. They knew where poachers and illegal fishing were operating. However, we now have a staff shortage and no fishermen are on the rivers. Poaching is alarmingly strong. Will the Minister of State comment on this? What plans will the new body have to take on more staff? In what way will our rivers be protected? Will those involved be employed full-time or part-time? Many people are unemployed. Could we arrange for FÁS schemes whereby people could be employed to help the inadequate number of staff currently on our rivers? The policy among fisheries boards during certain months was always to take on temporary staff. The Minister of State might comment on the fact, as I understand it, that this will not happen. The new body has indicated it has a reduced amount of money and will not be able to take on the temporary staff which was taken on every year from April to December, helping the permanent staff.

I have reservations about the new structure, which will become a top-heavy and top-down approach that may not be good in the long term. The Minister of State and his officials have obviously decided this is the way to go and I respect that decision. I ask him to ensure that local fora and advisory structures are set up so that the expertise that has existed for years on the fisheries boards can work in them.

I am a member of the relevant Oireachtas committee. I welcome that the committee will have some input but I am not sure what kind of people are being sought for input. Will they be rod men, the draft net men on some of our rivers, legal people or personnel from an economic background? What kind of people are intended for this committee as it is very important to have people from the industry? Rod fishing and angling is very important to the economy of this country and there is tremendous scope to develop the issues outlined by the Minister of State in his speech. People should be allowed to fish on our rivers and thus allow an advantage to tourism.

I am a member of a fishing club although I have never fished. Many fishing clubs are closed shops and if people want to come just for a day's fishing, they may find it very difficult to get involved in fishing clubs or be allowed to fish on the River Slaney, for example. The fishing club I am involved with has approximately 30 members and if a person is not a member, he or she just cannot fish. I have tried to have some members of family being allowed to fish but that is not allowed either.

There is a need to open the rivers for certain periods of the summer to people coming from Scotland, England and Wales, as well as from other parts of this country if they want a day's fishing. Such practice is allowed in some parts of the country but not others. The Minister must find some formula, although this will not be easy. Rod men and fishing clubs are very protective and what they have, they hold. It is important in generating tourism in an area like Wexford, Carlow or other counties with strong salmon rivers. There should be a pass for a day or a week to allow such people to fish. The Minister of State may need to test his negotiating skills to get around some of the fisheries clubs in this country to do that but I am sure he is capable.

I wish the Minister of State well with the Bill. I have my reservations and I did my best to stop it when I worked within the Department for two years, as the officials know. The new Minister feels this is the right way to go and I wish it well.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The next speaker is Deputy James Bannon and he has 20 minutes.

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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All to myself.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Without interruption.

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I am delighted the Acting Chairman is here to protect me this evening.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I will do my best.

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I have no doubt that there will be no foreign channels intervening, not even Deputy Peter Kelly on the back benches of the Government side of the House.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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He is the mildest mannered Deputy in the House.

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I am glad the Acting Chairman thinks so. I have been aware for some time of the importance of a Bill such as this to establish inland fisheries Ireland to replace the Central Fisheries Board and seven regional fisheries boards. However, it was only when in anticipation of this debate I telephoned two regional offices in the midlands to speak to an office dealing with the issue of inland fisheries and failed to connect with any office or body to help in my inquiry that alarm bells rang.

I am hopeful that a centralised system will lead to improved organisational and communications outcomes but I am conscious of the element of cutbacks involved in this decision. It is all about cutbacks and I am glad to hear Deputy Browne saying that he has some reservations about the Bill. As a representative of Longford-Westmeath in the proposed River Shannon basin district, which relies on recreational fishing for its tourism industry, such cost saving could be to the detriment of inland fisheries. This is a serious concern which has been brought to my attention and which I am sure has been brought to the Minister of State's notice by various people involved in the industry and recreation.

Freshwater lakes cover approximately 144,480 hectares of the area of the country, along with 13,840 km of main channel rivers. These are inhabited by a number of fish, including games species such as salmon, sea trout, brown trout and coarse species such as roach, pike and bream. In my constituency, covering Longford and Westmeath, there are major concerns over fish stocks, which much be appeased. Over the past three to four years our roach have been threatened by a British species of coarse fish called chub. The Minister of State is very much aware of the concern of fishermen over this species as I put down an Adjournment matter in the Dáil and before that in the Seanad. These fish have put our angling and coarse fishing industry at risk.

Chub have been discovered in large quantities in the River Inny and have the potential to cause very serious damage to our angling industry by attacking native trout and bream. They must be eradicated. However, it is imperative that this be handled in a competent way as electrification of the Inny when the roach are spawning would further endanger fish stocks. The issue must be addressed as we do not want to threaten other species when getting the chub fish out of the waterways.

Salmon runs on the Inny have also been affected as the fish are unable to make their way along the river due to various impediments such as structures utilised by the ESB, etc. That should also be addressed. Serious questions relating to angling tourism caused by this and other problems with fish stocks in the midlands need to be asked and answered by a competent body which will not pass the buck from one office to another. There is a fear that it will come down to "us and them" rather than having everybody working together in the interest of developing angling tourism and the activity in general.

I welcome the reopening of sections of the Royal Canal last year, which will boost midlands tourism significantly. The canal is now navigable from Dublin to my own backyard in Abbeyshrule and further to Ballymahon and Keenagh. I hope it will go to Killashee, Clondra and continue to have some link with the River Shannon. That would open the waterways to a great extent.

Local fishermen, the tourism angling industry and hoteliers have been concerned with the failure of the fisheries board to stock the waterways with tench and bream. At a time of a major fall-off in tourism figures, with hotels closing as they are failing to maintain viable numbers, this fall in fish stock is deterring British anglers, who were the mainstay of the industry. From talking to members of angling clubs, they notice that numbers have been down by several percentage points last year on previous years. I am sure the downturn in the economy has affected this.

The recent flooding is also having a huge impact on fish stocks in the River Shannon. The fisheries board, local environmentalists and fishermen have been trying to restore wild salmon to the river, but the flooding has set back their plans. Extra funding must come on stream to restock our rivers. According to a local member of the board, it is becoming a nearly impossible task to restore salmon to the River Shannon. The small supply of trout in the Shannon is also expected to diminish as a result of the flooding. This was brought home to me at public meetings with various tourism interest groups, hoteliers and so on. According to the wild salmon and sea trout statistics report for 2008, the total number of salmon caught and released in this period was 11,977, a decrease of 1,023 on the previous year.

There is a serious problem with access to our waterways. Many of our waterways are in private ownership and they often go through farmers' lands. I was the chairperson of the Inny Anglers Development Association for many years. We did great work over the years and we got wonderful co-operation from local landowners and farmers alike, and from the fisheries board. We erected a great number of sealed footbridges over small tributaries of the River Inny. This served to improve access for people using the waterways.

A problem arose a few years ago with the REPS scheme, where farmers were forced to erect electric fences in close proximity to the rivers, such as the River Inny, the River Suck and others. This issue was highlighted several times by the IFA. There needs to be greater co-operation between the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, local fishing clubs and farmers. I know of cases where people touched electric fences, got angry and snipped the fences, and as a result, a REPS inspector would call out and penalise the farmer, who might lose up to 15% of his REPS payments as a result. Common sense should prevail and there should be a little bit more co-operation in that area. It is not the farmer's fault, as it was probably an angling tourist that caused the problem, yet the farmer still has to pay the price. That creates bad feelings between land owners and those who use the waterways, so there should be greater co-operation in that area.

The issue of mooring areas for boats needs to be addressed. A number of small farmers in my area made an application to the relevant local authorities for mooring rings for fewer than ten boats, but they were refused. Local authority officials gave them the impression that they would facilitate the mooring rings, but national bodies such An Taisce came in and objected to mooring rings. This problem is very relevant in south Longford along the Shannon. A good friend of mine spent over €20,000 trying to acquire planning permission, but his hopes were dashed when planning was refused for a mooring area. I think that is wrong.

Looking at the old Ordinance Survey maps of 1913, it is notable that boathouses were a feature of several townlands, especially in the midlands. These were a part of our heritage, but they were taken away following the drainage scheme of the 1960s. Boathouses in the Boyne catchment area were destroyed and never replaced. We should look at protecting our heritage and I do not see anything wrong with replacing an old feature with an up to date version. This adds to the character of the river.

The marketing of our waterways needs to be addressed. Local knowledge is very important for the production of quality brochures. Nobody knows better about an area than those who lived there all their lifetime. They can tell us the good stretches of water that contain perch, roach or salmon. Several generations of people would know about the Red Bridge at Ballymahon, Abbeyshrule, or the Lock at Tennalick, Kinnard and so on, and the particular species of fish for which each location is noted. It is important that we get local knowledge when we are compiling any brochure, rather than outsourcing it to a company that would be bland in its description of an area.

The restocking of rivers is very important. It is important to involve local angling groups in this because they are the guardians of our waterways and they have a sense of pride and loyalty to a stretch of river. There should be grants available for the construction of weirs in the tributaries to our main waterways.

I was looking at old photographs that were taken prior to 1960 and there were lovely scenes along the rivers where huge groups of people congregated at the river bank on a Sunday afternoon. They provided their own entertainment with their own sport, and I have never seen such a gathering in my lifetime along the River Inny. It is something that should be examined to develop that unique culture in rural areas.

Deputy Browne spoke about being a member of a club and not getting much time to fish. I am also a member, but since I entered politics, I have unfortunately been too busy to go off for an afternoon. A politician seems to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there is very little time to get involved like we used to do before we entered politics.

It is important that we open up our rivers to tourism and this new Bill will hopefully help in that respect. Insurance is a major issue, and a scheme should be examined whereby the State could assist people with land adjoining rivers, because premiums rise for such people. As a landowner and a farmer I know this because I have a front onto the River Inny for a few miles. I must mention this for my insurance policy and I am sure a few bob is added to the insurance premium every year for that reason.

The canals will be a major benefit and a tourism asset for our country. It is important that we maintain and manage our canals and have them restocked. We should also examine other activities along the banks of the canal where the horses used to move in bygone days. Perhaps walking tracks or other leisure activity facilities could be developed in order to encourage more people to get involved. We should use the banks of rivers. There are walking routes around Kerry and Connemara. A leisure walking route from Dublin to the Shannon should be developed. Funding should be provided for such a development. Our canals run through scenic parts of the country and through free land. It is important that they are developed.

It is important to keep in contact with local anglers and local groups. Local angling clubs should not be shut out. We should work with them in co-operation. We would like to see less bureaucracy from the new boards. I hope the Minister of State will do what he can to ensure bureaucracy is kept out of the new inland fisheries board. Local knowledge will promote our fishing industry and local people are the best promoters of our waterways. I have some reservations but we need change and I hope this change will be for the better. Much money needs to be invested in the development of Ireland's angling industry.

Photo of Peter KellyPeter Kelly (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Acting Chairman can stop me before my time is up.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I would never stop Deputy Kelly.

Photo of Peter KellyPeter Kelly (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted to be here with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan. I listened to my colleague, Deputy Bannon, and agreed with much of what he said. We agree most of the time, believe it or believe it not. He would make a great fisherman. I would recommend taking up fishing because Deputy Bannon could do with some relaxation. He is working too hard.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is a compliment.

Photo of Peter KellyPeter Kelly (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with much of what Deputy Bannon said, which was common sense. Deputy Bannon knows the areas involved, the rivers, lakes and the Royal Canal in Longford and Westmeath. Great work is being carried out on the Royal Canal. At the end of 2010 the Acting Chairman will be able to get into his little boat in Tallaght and can come down to Clondra, County Longford. At the moment we are spending €1 million on the harbour in Clondra. Great work is being done there and it will be completed by the end of 2010.

This Bill concerns the restructuring of the inland fisheries sector. The Bill will establish a new body, inland fisheries Ireland, that will subsume the existing central board and the seven regional fisheries boards set up in 1980. I am sorry to see the regional fisheries boards going because they did good work and were interested in and had a love of fishing. In the interests of fishing it is important that they are streamlined. It is Government policy to streamline boards and bring them into focus by the end of the year.

Under Government policy on the rationalisation of State agencies, the existing boards are to be replaced with a single national Inland fisheries authority. The Bill provides that inland fisheries Ireland will have a board of nine people. The chairperson and two others will be appointed on the Minister's nomination. Two board members will be appointed on the nomination of the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. One will be a staff representative appointed following an election process. I welcome this, which is right and proper. Everyone should be involved in and have a say on this board. The remaining three members will be appointed having regard to the advice of the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Bill states that the appointees must have experience of or have shown capacity in one or more of the areas of agriculture, aquaculture, business and commercial affairs, commercial fishing, environmental biodiversity matters, fish processing, legal or regulatory affairs, matters pertaining to disability, repairing and ownership of fisheries, recreational fisheries, regional development and tourism. The inclusion of recreational fisheries, angling, commercial fishing, ownership of fisheries and tourism interests demonstrates that angling interests are not precluded from being appointed to the board of inland fisheries Ireland.

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Kelly is giving us a mouthful there.

Photo of Peter KellyPeter Kelly (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Yes.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I will give Deputy Kelly protection if he needs it.

Photo of Peter KellyPeter Kelly (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I do not need any protection. I thank Deputy Bannon for staying to listen to me and I hope he is taking it all in. This restructuring will ensure greater conservation and sustainable exploitation of our inland fisheries. This change reflects the Government's plans to streamline State bodies, as first set out by the Minister for Finance in 2008. The establishment of a single, central, efficient, streamlined structure will ensure we are best positioned to deal with challenges facing our inland fisheries. These challenges include pollution, habitat degradation, water quality factors and over-exploitation. The new body will also be tasked with tackling certain activities at sea such as the protection of salmon and sea trout and the support of sea angling.

Currently the central and regional fisheries boards are made up of over 150 board members. We all know that such an unwieldy setup can cause problems. The new board of inland fisheries Ireland will comprise only nine core members. I welcome the news that an Oireachtas joint committee will be involved in the appointment of some of these new members. Oireachtas joint committees should be more involved in decision-making and appointments to Government boards. All political parties are represented on such committees and one gets fair representation. A smaller board will allow for greater accountability. It will also have a clear focus on efficiency and value for money. The Minister is committed to value for money on instructions from the Minister for Finance. With regard to the inland fisheries forum, existing board members who genuinely wish to remain involved in the development of our inland fisheries will have ample opportunity to contribute their valuable knowledge and ideas to a new inland fisheries forum which will be set up under this Bill. As pointed out by Deputy Bannon, it is important that any information should be sought locally from the people who know what they are talking about, know the area and know the rivers and the fishing, rather than from someone who is not involved in the local area. One cannot beat the local knowledge of the people on the ground.

Recognising the importance of stakeholder involvement at local level, the forum will establish local advisory structures which will capitalise on the goodwill and expertise available in the community. Fishing is a very relaxing pastime. There are many fishermen in County Longford who are completely committed and dedicated and who love fishing. They are cool, calm, decent, concerned citizens who fish for many hours on the banks of the rivers and are as happy as Larry doing so.

The forum will also replace the National Salmon Commission in providing advice on the management of the national salmon resource. Much work has been done in terms of conserving our salmon stocks in recent times, for example, the closure of commercial mixed stock salmon fishery and the subsequent creation of a €30 million salmon hardship fund. Further work in this area of salmon fishery will be facilitated by the new forum.

Another function of Inland Fisheries Ireland will be to operate a scheme which would distribute the resources of the eight fisheries co-operative societies which are being wound down. The new body will ensure that the resources will be put to good use by means of a grant scheme for local development groups.

There are no costs associated with this Bill and, in fact, it will lead to initial and immediate savings through efficiencies resulting from the winding down of the array of boards and societies and the National Salmon Commission. Over the years, Ireland's responsibilities under EU law have grown substantially in areas relating to inland fisheries. The habitats directive and the water framework directive which deal with environmental and habitat protection across all animal species, have placed various obligations on the Government which must be met. Inland Fisheries Ireland will manage and report on its operations on the basis of the river basin districts established for the implementation of the water framework directive. This will have a number of benefits. It will make it easier, for example, to implement future EU measures in the sector. It has been agreed that Inland Fisheries Ireland will have strong regional executive structures which will be aligned with the river basin districts as set out in the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003, which implements the EU water framework directive. This should ensure enhanced delivery of the relevant functions under the water framework directive and an approach consistent with that adopted for implementing policy in this area. It will also be beneficial in terms of implementing future EU sponsored measures in the sector.

There are six river basin districts within the area covered by the existing seven regional fisheries boards. Accordingly, there had been opposition to this approach from the existing western and north-western regional fisheries boards, whose areas are encompassed by one river basin district. However, in recognition of the scale and variety of activities and the location and number of staff across the north-west and western regions, the Government has decided that the retention of offices in both Galway and Ballina, within the western river basin district, is warranted for an initial period at least.

Ultimately, this Bill proposes to streamline and improve the structures that are currently in place in the inland fisheries sector. This will help ensure that the sector thrives and achieves its true potential. I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, well in his endeavours in order that the sector thrives and its full potential is realised.

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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It has taken an inordinate time for this legislation to come before the House. In introducing the Bill, the Minister made the valid point that the bodies responsible for the sector needed to be restructured but it has certainly taken time to do so, this at a time when the inland fisheries are facing serious problems, but also great potential in some areas which require that such an authority be put in place and which should have been put in place before now.

One of the consequences of the delay has been the placing in limbo of the existing regional authorities. This has meant that the postponement of elections has become an annual feature here. It is obvious there has been no opportunity to rejuvenate the bodies concerned. The elections have been postponed for five years at this stage.

It is also fair to say that the replacement of the old regional boards - which had many members on the different bodies - by Inland Fisheries Ireland, which will have just nine members, has not been universally welcomed. Some groups have claimed that the new authority will be less representative and accountable and thus less well able to put forward the views of the broad section of people involved in inland fisheries in various contexts. Some critics have also claimed that the new structure will reduce the input of knowledge as well as lessening local accountability. Some people are concerned about the number of board members to be appointed by two Ministers, effectively giving the ministerial appointees a majority on the core board. Going on past experience, those appointed by the Ministers as political conduits to the local representatives, will leave much to be desired. This does not necessarily have to be the case if members of the new authority are properly selected and have the requisite knowledge, experience and contacts within the sector to allow them to take a proper overview of the sector and come up with the right policies for the future.

One of the reasons it is important to have a new authority in place is to develop areas with the potential for economic growth and employment. Aquaculture is a relatively underdeveloped sector in this country but there is significant potential here for expansion if the proper structures and policies are put in place. Perhaps the authority might also pay heed to those within the sector who have difficulties in respect of the manner in which the European Union sets policy, which is not always in the interests of those seeking to make a livelihood in this State.

Policy is central to the future direction of inland fisheries. Section 10 affords the Minister the power to give policy directions to inland fisheries Ireland and stipulates that the latter must comply with those directions. This suggests that the Minister takes a very centralist view of policy-making. I see the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, is nodding his head at that. What mechanisms, if any, will be put in place to facilitate input from the new authority into the consideration and framing of policy? It is important that all parties with a direct interest in the sector, particularly those who are dependent on inland fisheries for their livelihoods, are allowed to participate in the discussion of policy and thereby have some influence on the decision-making process. In addition, angling groups, conservationists and so on should also be able to make their views known before decisions are taken.

Provision seems to have been made for this in the creation of a forum that will hopefully include the types of interest groups to which I have referred and will function in a manner that allows their views to be taken on board, not only after decisions have been made but as part of a broad consultation within the sector on key issues and policies. The same applies to the standing scientific committee which it is hoped will keep the authority and the Minister up to date with issues that arise in regard to fish stocks, conservation and water quality.

The serious consequences of a lack of consultation and accountability were illustrated by the process whereby drift net salmon fishermen were put out of business. There was little or no attempt by the Department to consult with those involved or to consider alternative scientific reports or alternative proposals. The virtually unanimous opposition of the Oireachtas committee was also ignored. In many coastal communities people who had devoted their lives to this pursuit, maintaining the tradition of the generations before them, had their way of life ended by the stroke of a pen. As someone from a coastal area, I understood the detrimental effect this would have on the communities affected. I took the view at the time, and still maintain, that it was the incorrect decision. Drift net fishermen - and perhaps the draft net fishermen too - were penalised for the sins of others.

The criteria for selecting the nine members of the authority are set out in section 12, with the Minister having the greatest say in the selection process. There is a reference to the requirement that all nominees have proven experience and background in areas relevant to the sector. It is essential that all interest groups have an input into the selection process so that their collective expertise can be harnessed into the future. There is also provision in the Bill for the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to have a role in the selection and appointment of ministerial nominees, with the emphasis on the suitability of their qualifications. Section 38 refers to the responsibility on the part of the new authority to submit a five-year corporate plan. In the context of policy and its importance for the sector into the future, will the Minister indicate whether the plan will incorporate policy issues?

Another issue to consider is the authority the new body will have over the various river basins. As I said last week during the relevant Private Members' debate, the diffusion of authority over the River Shannon – of which inland fisheries Ireland will now be part – meant there was no overall authority, and that was unhelpful when it came to dealing with the crisis arising from the recent flooding. Although flooding is not one of the key areas of concern for the proposed inland fisheries authority, it will have some responsibility in this area in regard to the upkeep of rivers and lakes and the possible impact that structures placed on rivers may have in the event of similar rain and flood patterns in the future. The authority may also have an input into planning applications for housing developments close to rivers.

I hope the Minister of State will address all these issues in his reply. It is important that the new authority be established swiftly. It is disgraceful that the outgoing authorities have been in limbo for the last five years, without any reconfiguration of their membership. It is in everybody's interest that action is taken in this regard as soon as possible.

Photo of Tom HayesTom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to have an opportunity to contribute to the debate on this important legislation. While it might not be of immediate interest to everybody, it is of vital interest to communities throughout the State. My party welcomes the proposed centralisation of the existing fisheries boards into one centralised authority which we hope will lead to greater efficiency throughout the State. In light of the various directives from Brussels in this area, we must be more organised and efficient in the way we do our business in order to tackle the issues affecting people's livelihoods. We have approximately 144,480 hectares of lakes and 13,840 km of rivers in this State - a substantial quantity of waterways to be protected. The potential of those waterways in this time of economic crisis, when we are seeking ways to create employment, cannot be overstated, particularly as a means of promoting tourism.

I live close to the River Suir in Tipperary and clearly recall the large volumes of salmon and other fish that could be found there some 30 or 40 years ago. As a young person I recall fishermen and tourists enjoying the wealth of the river, with whole families being fed on its produce. Despite the many European Union directives seeking to protect our waterways, rivers throughout the State are starved of fish. The Government must act in a strategic way to reactivate those rivers. There is potential throughout the south-east region and elsewhere in the State to encourage visitors from all over Europe. A recent report indicated the potential for that type of tourism but also an awareness of the depletion of fish stocks. Seasoned fishermen in Europe know we do not have sufficient fish in our rivers to meet their requirements. That problem must be addressed by the new authority, as I am sure the Minister and many of his colleagues will agree. There are people in rural areas who can offer accommodation in their houses, in addition to a high quality of life. We can build other facilities to complement fishing tourism. We have a major opportunity to develop fishing holidays, competitions and festivals in inland parts of the country. When people come here with a fishing rod, which is a simple thing, we should be able to cater for them.

I am concerned about the towns and villages in my constituency through which the River Suir passes. I refer to towns like Cahir, Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir and villages like Ardfinnan, Golden and Newcastle, all of which in my home county. There is huge potential in other counties like Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow and Cork, not to mention the midlands region. We are spending a few hours discussing this Bill today. We will consider it again on Committee Stage before it is enacted. While I welcome the fact that we are doing something about this sector, we must follow through on it. We should deal with the issues other speakers and I have raised. I refer specifically to the need to develop the potential of fishing tourism.

We need to do something about several rivers in this country. I note that the body being established under this legislation will have to deal with local authorities. Many habitats are under serious threat of environmental denigration, including pollution, and water quality is suffering as a result. There was a time when farmers were blamed for polluting the River Suir, but I suggest that local authorities now constitute the biggest polluters of the river. Is it right, in this day and age, that raw sewage is allowed to enter waterways in villages in my constituency? I refer to the River Suir because I live near it and know a little about it.

Trees have fallen into tributaries of the River Suir, such as the River Multeen. Cleansing and dredging work needs to be done. At a time when over 400,000 people are unemployed, there is huge potential in this area. Will it be possible for the new body to link up with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, or some other agency, to start work on our inland waterways? Deputies will be familiar with the results of the heavy flooding of recent months. It caused a great deal of trouble for local authorities and families throughout the country. I have spoken previously in this House about the potential for local authorities to get unemployed people to help to clean our rivers. Many such people would be glad of the work. We can create local employment by providing for a scheme whereby rivers and lakes are restored to their previous condition.

The Bill provides that two offices will remain open. I wonder what will happen to the headquarters of the Southern Regional Fisheries Board in Clonmel. I have made the case for the potential of south Tipperary. I suggest that the headquarters should be left open. I have already said I am perfectly in favour of what the Minister is doing. I would like to know what the future of the Clonmel office will be. Perhaps it could be used in support of what I am saying, for example as a sub-office that co-ordinates the potential that exists. The Minister should consider the potential of the office before a decision is made on whether to close or sell it. I suggest that my constituents in south Tipperary would be able to use the office to meet the great potential that exists in the locality.

I feel very strongly about the potential of this country's waterways. We have paid lip service to this natural resource over many years, but we have not looked after it. I remind the Minister of the need to rise to the challenge we face, which is to do more to improve our waterways, in the interests of those associated with the tourism and fishing industries, now and in the generations to come.

Photo of Séamus KirkSéamus Kirk (Louth, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are two more speakers before I invite the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, to bring this debate to a conclusion.

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for allowing me to speak briefly at this juncture. This is the first chance I have had to congratulate him on his new position. As a rural politician, I could respond cynically to his appointment by suggesting that he will be unable to get his head around the various rivers and tributaries in this country. However, I am aware that he is well travelled and is familiar with various parts of my constituency. I understand he has been to my home village of Carrigart. I know the Minister of State will be eager to learn in his new position.

In welcoming this Bill, it is important to state that any standardisation in legislation has to be examined critically. Many people may be sceptical and suggest that we are going back to the old days of centralising everything and implementing Dublin policy. That is a danger. I expect the Minister of State to use his vast network throughout the Twenty-six Counties to ensure that active clubs have a key role in driving this legislation forward. We all know that legislation, like certain football teams, can look good on paper. The grassroots agenda, as represented by active game angling clubs, needs to be driven forward. That agenda has run into problems and difficulties in my native county. As the Minister of State has primary ministerial responsibility in this regard, he has an important role to play.

I wish to speak about the various regional fisheries boards that have been active over recent years. I am familiar with the activities of the Northern Regional Fisheries Board. I am aware of many of the board's new practices. It is employing new technology as part of its enforcement efforts, which are aimed at improving the policing of rivers and maintaining fish stocks. I admire many of the practices and initiatives that have been introduced. I am aware from my contacts in other fisheries boards that different agendas have been pursued across the seven boards. Different practices have been driven by the chief executive officers at the top of the various boards. It is obvious that the officers' individual philosophies came into play as they tried to carry out their aims and objectives. This goes back to the raison d'être for this legislation, namely, to have uniformity and standardisation.

As for other linkages, I highlighted at the outset that the needs and wants of game angling clubs have been left out. Their needs and wants do not differ from what is being attempted by incorporating this national legislation. They are into conservation, inclusion and trying to drive a local agenda, which includes reaching out to schools and court systems. My research suggests that in some European countries, under certain circumstances youth offenders may, as part of their rehabilitation, engage in some form of positive recidivism involving fishing in the inland waterways. Moreover, the Loughs Agency in Northern Ireland also is engaged in this practice. Perhaps the Minister of State could examine critically the opportunity to do this, rather than simply engaging with schools and the youth.

I am sure the Minister of State has been in contact with the aforementioned Loughs Agency, which is under the leadership of Mr. Derick Anderson. It is singing from the same hymn sheet in that it also promotes conservation, fishing and the opportunities associated with inland fisheries. It will be important to have constant engagement with the Loughs Agency, which obviously was in close collaboration with the northern regional fisheries board. However, it will be important to have in place such linkage once the new administration has been set in stone. This should not purely be on the basis that it is a prerogative of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 to have integrated marine strategies but because it make sense and that obviously, certain tributary rivers and streams for which the Loughs Agency has responsibility straddle different jurisdictions.

The obvious challenge will relate to working together and one need only recall the fishing rod licence dispute to be aware that many tensions exist in respect of fishing in inland fisheries. However, given what is happening in respect of the advancement of aquaculture and the associated opportunities along the north-west coast, one must strive for a balance in which different specialties and industries must work hand in hand and the Minister of State will have responsibility in this regard. As the Minister of State will lead the new board and will be involved in driving forward the legislation, how does he intend to hold onto the ethos of subsidiarity? This may sound somewhat ironic as this legislation will get rid of the regional dimension, but one need only consider what has happened in respect of the health boards and the creation of the HSE monster. How does the Minister of State intend to avoid the pitfalls of creating a centrally-led model without holding on to the bottom-up philosophy of local involvement and grassroots participation?

While that was my main question to the Minister of State, I refer to the opportunity that has been missed for the past 20 years with regard to tourism. The Minister of State needs to engage with the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and impress on him the desirability of creating the same kind of standardisation and uniformity that this legislation seeks to achieve. For such a small country, Ireland has many different groups and quangos, to use a word that has frequently been bandied about, but there is very little standardisation with regard to promoting our product and the Minister of State has a role in this regard. We must be confident that tourism will be an area in which this economy will be driven forward once costs have been reduced. In addition, a form of single marketing model must be put in place that has fishing to the fore. There is an opportunity to have on offer a quality game angling product, as well as canoeing, kayaking, lakeland drives and leisure boating and that is what the Minister of State must do.

Without assuming too much, I presume the Minister of State intends to go on a nationwide tour. While it may not encompass every river in Ireland and I do not know whether he himself is a fisherman, I presume he intends to engage with angling clubs. I am sure he aware of the many tensions that exist in County Donegal. The Minister of State should give the volunteer element the respect they deserve but which they have not been receiving. They have been ploughing away in their attempts to restock rivers for salmon beds and although they have been trying to do this work on their own, they receive little assistance. While they do not seek money, they seek some form of empowerment and they should be given a role.

I will not filibuster for the sake of it because Fine Gael is on the same hymn sheet in this regard and agrees with the legislation. However, to recap, standardisation only works if one empowers people in the regions. I stated it is ironic because the legislation moves away from a regional dimension. However, this legislation alone will not achieve proper standardisation with regard to policing, marketing opportunities or driving the tourism agenda. It must go hand in glove with the activities of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy Cullen. Over a cup of coffee or a pint of beer, the Minister of State should request the Minister, Deputy Cullen, to consider what is being done in respect of fisheries. In a non-patronising fashion, the Minister of State should invite his ministerial colleague to consider Ireland's fractured tourism model. While different regions exist, we do not have a standardised version. In the dominant areas in the south of the country, private operators have driven the tourism agenda over the years and have excelled in this regard. For example, they have created brands such as the Ring of Kerry or the Cliffs of Moher. However, to standardise tourism in Ireland and link it to what is being attempted in respect of fishing, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism must take a leaf from the Minister of State's book. The Minister of State must ask the aforementioned Minister to study what he is trying to do and perhaps learn a lesson on standardising policy in tourism, sport and recreation. These matters go hand in glove together and there is no point in discussing a single legislative measure without thinking across the board and across ministerial divides.

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear. That was a good point.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Like all Members, I welcome this Bill. The creation of a single national body that will include the functions of the present Central Fisheries Board and the seven regional fishery boards appears to be a logical progression. I have some understanding of the operation of such matters because I was born and reared close to the River Feale. Although I fished more in my younger days than I do at present, I still am closely connected with the fishing fraternity on that river. At one time, the River Feale was one of the better-known rivers in Europe and a thriving tourism industry was attached to it. I can recall that in the 1960s and earlier, one might have encountered five or six different nationalities at the local anglers' rest. However, the tourism aspect of fishing, on the River Feale in particular, declined due to a number of factors. Initially, this was because of an outbreak of disease in the late 1950s and early 1960s but there also were other reasons, the principal one being that not enough salmon were coming up the river to attract fishing tourists. I hope following this amalgamation and re-focusing that a river such as the Feale would be examined separately and that a proper management plan would be put in place to tap its undoubted potential.

We all thought, and may have contributed to the debate on the matter, that the banning of drift net fishing would allow salmon and sea trout back into our rivers. The first test of this was last season but it did not happen. Major questions are raised as to why salmon did not appear in our rivers last year if drift net fishermen were not taking them. I do not know the precise figure of how many they had been taking but it was fairly substantial with perhaps approximately 60,000 salmon being taken the previous year. The salmon did not appear in the River Feale. There was a late run of salmon but during the summer less salmon were caught on the River Feale than during the previous season when the drift nets were operating in the Atlantic.

There must be reasons for this and I hope they can be examined through this new structure. Is it because illegal fishing is still occurring in the Atlantic? That could be an international issue, but surely there must be an international solution to the decline of the salmon population. We can protect only our own waters but there is a bigger dimension, larger than that for which we can take total responsibility, such as the feeding grounds where the spawn go after leaving our rivers, and the fact that on their return journeys they are intercepted.

Issues also arise when salmon come into our rivers and this applies to draft net fishermen and anglers. Draft net fishermen operate in most of the estuaries in our rivers and that is a tradition that must be retained. It is in their interests also that there is a salmon population. The effect of a growing seal population on the salmon population must be examined. The effect of the heron on the salmon population must also be examined as must this issue of river management with regard to how the spawning grounds are being disturbed and, perhaps, not being adequately looked after. One salmon can spawn up to 80,000 eggs. People must be aware that if the spawning grounds are disturbed or not treated properly it can ruin an entire salmon population. There must be an overall approach with public education, responsibility and far more emphasis on preserving our salmon stock.

Placing it in an overall economic context, this is one of our greatest natural resources. I can see major potential, as previous speakers mentioned, in angling tourism. There is no about that, but the fish must be in the rivers. There are ways to protect and increase our salmon population but care must be taken.

Another aspect is the overall supervision of our rivers. I recently heard that there are four water-keepers to manage the entire River Feale, its tributaries and the other rivers in the catchment area of the former Shannon region. It would be impossible for them to look after the length of river they are supposed to look after and protect the habitats they are supposed to protect. It is hit and miss. Anybody poaching knows the river very well and it is nearly impossible for the bailiffs to police the river properly. Their movements are fairly well monitored and more people will have to be employed to better police the rivers. There are four or five very active clubs that police their own parts of the River Feale but in many cases it is very difficult for them to police the river where they may know the people who may be involved in poaching or not obeying the rules. There must be outside supervision and that is why the issue of water-keepers or bailiffs is so important.

I welcome the Bill as the previous situation was very unwieldy, with people duplicating work and different experts in different regions. This focus will certainly help in a major way. However, major issues exist including the decline in the salmon population when we thought it would increase because of the ban on drift net fishing. The National Salmon Commission will be amalgamated into this body. It is very important that the Minister of State immediately examines this matter, which is in his brief. There was an expected increase last year but in the River Feale there was a decrease and we must examine the reasons for this.

This is an area of real potential. As a country we must examine our natural resources and how and where we can attract angling tourists.

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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We must examine whether we can give them incentives to come. However, they will not come if there are no fish. This is a real opportunity but the decline in salmon population, certainly after the banning of drift net fishing, gives rise to much concern. We all thought it was the fault of drift net fishing but obviously it was not at total fault.

I am delighted to have had the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I have seen at first hand the decline in fishing in the River Feale, which is local to me, over the years. Once it was teeming with fish and was one of the top fishing rivers in Europe. It had been in angling magazines for decades but it has been removed because there are no fish in the river. It is hoped that the mechanism and structure proposed this evening can address issues and problems such as the decline of salmon and sea trout in the River Feale.

Photo of Conor LenihanConor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank all Deputies for their contributions to this debate; they were very welcome. With regard to Deputy Deenihan's point, it is important to point out that the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation and the European Union have jointly sponsored significant research on why the salmon survival rate in the seas beyond our immediate shores is so low. Deputy Deenihan is quite right that there was an expectation that the ending of drift netting would lead to a revival of some type in fish stock numbers, particularly in salmon, but this has not occurred. Wider issues exist beyond our immediate control that will need to be addressed and examined very carefully.

In the Bill we are trying to harmonise, as Deputy McHugh pointed out, the standards that apply, particularly with regard to management of the country's river and water resources. It is very important. We have come through a period when fragmentation was the order of the day.

We are now moving to standardised and higher forms of protection for the country's water resources, precisely for the reasons alluded to by Deputy Deenihan. We want to develop and exploit this resource and the water quality associated with it in order to increase tourism revenue. Unfortunately, the present state of our water quality prevents us from making the best use of the resource during this terrible recession.

Deputy McHugh raised a key point regarding the importance of local clubs and the ethos of subsidiarity. His timely warning about the monster of the HSE has been of concern to me since I took over this brief in May 2009. We need to be exceedingly careful when we create new centralised bodies that we do not repeat the mistakes made in the early days of the HSE. People were cynical about the HSE at its inception because they believed it was in effect a centralised body without local or regional roots and that a group of people in Dublin were dictating to managers up and down the country. Although the truth of that perception is a matter for debate, I am determined to avoid creating a disembodied organisation which operates at a centralised level while ignoring signals and expertise in the regional and local structures. I have instructed the chief executive designate to enter into regular consultations with advisory councils at a local level. The people previously known as chief executives and who will now become regional managers will link into local communities and nurture the networks that have been developed among anglers and the other parties involved in managing and protecting this resource. They will not be allowed to ignore the traditional interests in our water resources, which must be integral to any solution.

I have also instructed the chief executive to conduct his executive management meetings in a way that moves the operation around the country and involves local communities. Regional managers will be integral members of the management team of the new body. They are not subsidiary to the officials who are in charge of core functions. I also want to ensure that regional managers are tasked with national responsibilities so that they act in an integrated fashion as part of a seamless transition to this new body, which will be both local and national in character.

Deputy Tom Hayes made the case for the River Suir as one of the great rivers. The recovery of salmon stocks on that river has been attributed to the closure of the sea fishery and improvements in water quality. It is to be celebrated that angling will be allowed this year on a catch and release basis. The Deputy was passionate in expressing his hope that the Clonmel office will not be closed. There is no question of closing offices at this stage. My colleagues, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Calleary, and Deputy Flynn, were very determined in making the case for keeping the Ballina office open.

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State has given them a good plug.

Photo of Conor LenihanConor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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That has happened.

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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What about all the other people who contacted him?

Photo of Conor LenihanConor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that Deputy Tom Hayes will not be disappointed because there is no threat to the Clonmel office. It is important this new body remains anchored in the river basins and other localities for which it is responsible. We are mindful of the need to avoid creating another beast which bestrides the resource but does little.

Deputy Nolan spoke about the need to put local anglers at the forefront. Deputy Browne indicated his opposition to the centralising route we are taking. I assure him that we will not allow all power to congregate at the centre.

I was most impressed by Deputy Bannon, who spoke expertly about the river resources in his own county. He was perhaps the most knowledgeable and insightful of the contributors on Second Stage of the Bill.

Deputy Kelly tried to entice my constituency colleague, Deputy O'Connor, to take a trip down the Royal Canal from Tallaght to its terminal at Clondra, County Longford. I am sorry to disappoint Deputy Kelly but we cannot send Deputy O'Connor along the Royal Canal because it does not flow through Tallaght. The Grand Canal is the waterway which flows nearest to Deputy O'Connor. If I could put him on a barge I would do so tomorrow but, unfortunately, he is not keen on leaving his Tallaght base for fishing trips or canal journeys.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I will go.

Photo of Conor LenihanConor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Ferris raised the issue of lack of knowledge and accountability and expressed disappointment that the majority of the nine members of the slimmed down board will be appointed by Ministers. It is important that we create a body that can take the necessary decisions. We do not have many years left to us and it would be disappointing-----

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Will the board comprise nine or 12 members?

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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It will have nine members, of whom three will be appointed by me, two by each of the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley and one by the staff. Three members will be recommended by the Oireachtas committee. I will endeavour to avoid appointing people to the board outside of the committee's recommendation. It is important that we acknowledge the formal involvement of the Oireachtas in these selections if we are to achieve a wide range of people. I do not intend bypassing the views and recommendations of Deputies in regard to suitable nominees.

Now is a good time for our inland fisheries resources. Clearly, however, we must look down the road for other issues which can help us achieve efficiency, particularly in respect of the complementary functions of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I would like to see an arrangement which allows synergies to develop among both organisations so that they can work together in an operational sense.

Question put and agreed to.