Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important topical issue. On 26 April 2016, a press release appeared on the Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, website announcing that it intended to cease its operation in fish farms. This was issued at a time of significant political uncertainty and paralysis and in the backdrop of a caretaker Government.

At that time, I consulted the then Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, in regard to this and he advised me that he communicated with the chairperson of the board of IFI that no further action was to take place until there was broad consultation with all the stakeholders and, importantly, with his Department. However, on 5 July 2016, a notice of public consultation appeared on the IFI website explicitly stating that IFI will exit fish farm operations. This is not meaningful consultation. Indeed, it is an insult to the stakeholders, the people and, indeed, the Department involved in this area.

People might be aware that in 2015, a report was commissioned by Canadian Aquaculture Systems, Inc. which found that there was no explicit reason for IFI to cease its operation in fish farms. Indeed, it found that the operations were comparable to those of the private sector. When one considers how dated the plant is in Roscrea, it was a significant achievement. The report also explicitly stated that in the past, IFI issued a public tender for the supply of rainbow trout for put-and-take fisheries and there were no responses or bids to the tender. This clearly states that there is no alternative to the current operation and, therefore, a view being advanced that we should look to the private sector to fill in the void does not hold water.

The CEO of IFI normally states there are opportunity costs. I would put to him clearly the opportunity cost of the assessment in the unique position held by IFI in having minimal access to large volumes of high-quality water. Water supplies are available at the fisheries at little or no cost, relying on longstanding arrangements. If these arrangements are terminated, these will almost certainly not be repeated in any sector. A conservative estimate of the volume of water used by the three fisheries amounts to 25,000 cu. cm per day which would cost in excess of €35,000 per day. What is the opportunity cost of that?

A socio-economic study into recreational angling indicates that angling is responsible for €750 million in revenue per annum and in excess of 10,000 jobs so what is the opportunity cost of compromising that sector?

I want to be very clear about this. The Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, has been exceptional. He came to Mullingar yesterday evening and attended a public meeting with all the anglers' associations and concerned representatives. We took a tour of the fish farm in Cullion and we could see clearly its self-sufficiency. There have been workers there for generations who have brought together a strong strain of trout that they have spent 40 or 50 years breeding. Why should we compromise this to import fish from outside Ireland that could bring germs or diseases? There are no pumps at Cullion as the water is brought in from Lough Owel, going to Lough Ennell through the Brosna. It is operated with natural gravity. We must stand up and be counted on this issue, making it very clear to the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, that this will be done at its peril. It is a key industry that must be protected.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Burke for raising this Topical Issue. Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, is the State agency responsible for the protection, management and conservation of Ireland's inland fisheries and sea angling resources. IFI was formed on 1 July 2010 following the amalgamation of the Central Fisheries Board and the seven regional fisheries boards into a single agency. Ireland has over 74,000 km of rivers and streams and 128,000 ha of lakes, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of IFI. It has a long history of providing rainbow and brown trout to support the fish stocking requirements of Ireland's trout angling stakeholders. IFI's main fish production unit is located at the IFI fish farm near Roscrea, with a supporting facility, which mainly supports the maintenance of broodstock, located at Cullion in Mullingar. There is also a small operation at Lough Allua.

The proposal around rationalising the fish farm operations of IFI is a day-to-day operational matter for the board of IFI, although I acknowledge the major impact on the local economy across the country but particularly in the midlands. It should have been taken into account by the board of the IFI. IFl advises that from a structural perspective, the fish farming operation is based on physical structures and facilities designed and built in the late 1950s and since then and has been meeting the increasing demands of operational and regulatory requirements from facilities that are dated. In that context, I accompanied Deputy Burke and Councillor Andrew Duncan on a visit to IFI's Cullion broodstock and hatchery facility in Mullingar yesterday evening to review at first hand the existing facilities, where we were briefed by a member of IFI's senior management team and the operator of the farms.

I am advised by the board of IFI that it is IFI's intention to exit fish farming operations over the coming years at current locations, with the agency maintaining one aquaculture facility at Cong, County Mayo, which will be used for research and conservation stocking. This site has been identified as having the most potential due to the quality and quantity of its water supply, which is an important consideration for fish production. Ultimately, the IFI hatchery at Cong is expected to be upgraded to a facility capable of housing modern hatchery and research operations. IFl also advises that it was always intended that the phase-out plan will include consultation with affected stakeholders. The former Minister of State had written to the chair of IFI noting IFI's intention to consult with affected parties prior to any action and that a report of the consultation would be made to the Department. I recently met the board of IFI to reinforce the requirement that a full report be made to the Department before any action is taken. However, I regret the lack of consultation and the wording of the consultation when it was advertised. It was seen as a sort of fait accomplirather than a full public consultation to assess the future of the very valuable resource at Cullion and Roscrea.

IFl has written to affected stakeholders, advising them that the farms are operating as normal for 2016. It is important to clarify that the decisions of the board were not prescriptive regarding a timeline or a particular option as to how IFI might exit commercial production. In consultation with the chairman of the board of IFI and on the advice of the chief executive officer, I have decided to extend the deadline for the consultation to 19 September. I ask all interested parties to participate in the consultation. I will shortly meet the chairman of the board and the chief executive officer when he returns from a break to discuss the issue further. I understand the grave concern about the decision made by the board in the interregnum between the election and the formation of the Government. I know there is deep unease and unhappiness about this but I intend to consult fully with the chairman of the board and the chief executive officer to see if we can resolve the issue.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply but we must go further on this. The Twenty-six Counties of Ireland benefit from the stocks in these farms, so it is a vital resource in Ireland. If we appoint an independent company to commission a report into the sector but do not heed its advice, what is the point in having that process? The company was clear that there is no alternative in the private sector, so there will be a compromise on that front. The water values being brought to the farm may not be achieved in future. We have heard much about how the fish farms are loss-making but let us do an audit on the figures. I am surprised as staff will be redeployed and I understand staff are included in the figures cited. There may be national and scientific costs that should also be included and that must be examined closely.

I understand a former Deputy's book has a chapter on the rod war and the difficulties of the time. This has the capacity to escalate to that level if it is not dealt with urgently because this is a natural resource. As Councillor Andrew Duncan articulated so well at the meeting last night, we are highly dependent on the quality of our lakes with regard to the revenue brought in through tourism. Do we want to throw that away? We are trying to throw away 50 years of work in generating resilient breeds of trout to put into those lakes. Anglers come to our lakes because of the experience and the quantity and quality of fish in those lakes. They will not come if we back away from the industry. We must be very clear.

It is reprehensible for a chief executive officer or board to take a decision as drastic as this when a Government is being formed. The disrespect shown to the Government is also reprehensible and we should stand up to it. We must take urgent action. I thank the Minister of State for his reply.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his comments and I understand the frustration he feels, along with the level of concern expressed at the public meeting last night in Mullingar, with representatives attending from all over the country. They represented the fishing rivers in Dublin, Louth, Mayo, Galway and other places. Although the facilities in Cullion and Roscrea are doing a job, there have been decades of under-investment. I have seen the facility at Cullion but I have not been to the Roscrea facility. The Cullion facility is functioning, as I noted at the meeting, but it is antiquated and needs investment, particularly in the existing buildings.

I raised the issue of public consultation but when I met the board on 30 June, I was not informed by anybody - either the chief executive officer or any member of the board - that a week later the public consultation would be advertised as a fait accompli. The Deputy is correct in that there are 50 years of research and breeding in the facilities. I advocated to the board and chief executive officer that before any decision should have been considered regarding any cessation, there should have been a plan to ensure the valuable fish stock and resources being put into the rivers locally would be replaced with an alternative. There is none, as far as I can see. There is talk of private operators but there is no clear alternative in place. Once the chief executive officer is back from the break I will sit down with him and the chairman to push the issue of planning further. There is widespread disquiet and I have extended the period of consultation to 19 September. I hope to use that period to consult further about the future. I recognise the Deputy and thank him for the invitation to yesterday's meeting and to visit the facilities in Cullion.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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May I make a brief point?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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No, there is no provision to come in at this point. I am sorry.