Results 12,701-12,720 of 13,220 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Control of Fishing for Salmon Order 2005, SI No. 72 of 2005, which I signed on 16 February last, authorises the issue of commercial salmon fishing licences by regional fisheries boards and prescribes the criteria under which those licences may be issued. The provisions of this order, which replaces the Control of Fishing for Salmon Order 1980 and subsequent amendments, implement, in as...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (23 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Knockadoon pier is owned by Cork County Council and responsibility for its repair and maintenance rests with the local authority in the first instance. In July 2003 Cork County Council made an application to the Department for funding to carry out works at Knockadoon slipway at an estimated cost of €94,500. There was no funding available in 2003 or 2004 for these works. The question of...

Written Answers — Fishing Licences: Fishing Licences (23 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Under the Fisheries Acts, any person fishing for salmon is permitted to do so only when in possession of a valid salmon fishing licence issued by a regional fisheries board. Under the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, as amended by the Fisheries Act 1980, it is a matter for the courts to decide if a person convicted of fishing offences should be disqualified from holding a salmon fishing...

Written Answers — Fishing Licences: Fishing Licences (23 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Government has consistently ruled out buy-out as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks and has instead, since 2002, promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve this objective. Furthermore, no convincing case has been advanced as to the public good that...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (23 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Responsibility for coastal protection rests with the property owner whether it be a local authority or a private individual. In July 2002 the Department requested all coastal local authorities to submit proposals, in order of priority, for consideration in the context of the 2003-2006 national coastal protection programmes. Waterford County Council submitted proposals for coastal protection...

Written Answers — Salmon Management Report: Salmon Management Report (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I recognise the divergence of advice this year from the National Fisheries Management Executive and the National Salmon Commission in respect of both the total allowable salmon catch and also the question of when full alignment with the scientific advice is to be achieved. I am advised that trends in the salmon catch are not singularly indicative of the health of the stock given the...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together. The preparatory meeting to which the Deputy refers is an informal one, which is taking place in advance of the meeting of the informal consultative process, ICP, on oceans and the law of the sea in June 2005. I understand it has been convened by the co-chairs of the ICP with the purpose of consulting states on practical matters...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The issues raised by the Deputy relate to a recent report entitled "A preliminary investigation on Shelf Edge and Deepwater Fixed Net Fisheries to the West and North of Great Britain, Ireland, around Rockall and Hatton Bank". This report was compiled by representatives of eight fisheries agencies, including Ireland's Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara as well as representatives from the...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together. The Marine Institute carries out a comprehensive programme of monitoring and control of sea lice at marine finfish farms, on behalf of the Department. This entails inspections and sampling, at all sites containing fish, 14 times per annum; twice per month during March, April and May and monthly for the remainder of the year except...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: It is mandatory for all EU countries under the EC Council Directive 97/70/EC of 11 December 1997, as amended, to have the protocol in operation. The provisions of the directive lay down harmonised standards for seagoing fishing vessels of 24 m in length and over in so far as the annexe to the Torremolinos Protocol applies. Regulations were put in place in 1998 to implement the directive into...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Primary responsibility for the management of canals rests with Waterways Ireland, which is a North-South implementation body established under the British-Irish Agreement Acts, and operates under the aegis of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. While I understand that Waterways Ireland and the Central Fisheries Board work together to promote angling along the canals in...

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Sections 7, 9, as amended by section 81 of the Electoral Act 1963, and 10 of the Harbours Act 1946 govern the holding of harbour elections and the appointment of local authority members to harbour authorities. Section 19 of the Harbours Act 1946 specifies the grounds on which a person shall be disqualified from being appointed to a harbour authority. There are no plans to amend these sections...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: As I recently advised the House I am reviewing a number of issues in regard to the establishment of the Adventure Activities Standards Authority, AASA, in light of the decision made in 2003 to create a single agency responsible for all elements of marine safety and emergency response services. In making a decision I intend to set out the reasons and the relevant information which informs the...

Written Answers — Passenger Boat Licences: Passenger Boat Licences (22 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: In January 2003 a new licensing regime was introduced for passenger boats that carry 12 passengers or less. This new regime complemented the existing licensing regime for the larger passenger vessels, which carry more than 12 passengers. Under both of these regimes the Department undertakes a variety of control measures, including detailed vessel surveys and unannounced operational...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I am aware of the concerns expressed by business interests in Donegal about the future of the fishing industry there. Indeed, as the Deputy will be aware, the fishing industry in Europe and elsewhere is experiencing difficulties at the present time. I believe that the primary challenge facing the fishing industry at the present time concerns the need for effective conservation measures to...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Deputy refers to a recent report, A Preliminary Investigation on Shelf Edge and Deepwater Fixed Net Fisheries to the West and North of Great Britain, Ireland, around Rockall and Hatton Bank. This important report is under consideration by my Department. The occurrence of so-called "ghost-fishing" as a result of fishing gear being discarded and left on the seabed is a cause for concern and...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Government has consistently ruled out buy out as an effective means of achieving the restoration of salmon stocks. Since 2002, it has instead promoted the application of quotas on commercial fishing and bag limits on angling to achieve catch reductions as the best instrument available to achieve this objective. While I have no plans to introduce a single stock management system for the...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: As I informed the House in my response to the same question from the Deputy on 22 February last, under the Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2001, the issuing of permit charges for angling is an operational matter for the relevant regional fisheries board. In this instance it is a matter for the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board. It is not an issue over which I, as Minister of State with responsibility...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The areas to which the Deputy refers are closed areas for one species only, orange roughy, which inhabits a deep sea fishery. Deep sea quotas were introduced for the first time in 2002, covering the years 2003 and 2004. Revised quotas for 2005 and 2006 involving cuts of 15% for most species, including orange roughy, were agreed at last December's Council. As the Deputy is aware, there is a...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The matter has been investigated by my Department's engineering division and I am advised that the effect on fisheries of the works undertaken by the local authority are expected to be minimal. Officials of the Department are, however, prepared to meet the fishermen concerned in conjunction with officials of the local authority to afford them an opportunity to detail their concerns about the...