Results 3,181-3,200 of 3,665 for speaker:Seán Power

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: Senator Ross was going great for a while.

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I have held no discussions in relation to the privatisation of the Shannon fishery.

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 232 together. Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection and development of the inland fisheries resource rests with the regional fisheries boards, in this instance the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board. I am advised by the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board that glass eels are not commercially fished or...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: Migratory species such as Atlantic salmon and European Eel are affected by hydroelectric generation. Prior to the collapse of previously healthy salmon stocks following an outbreak of the Ulcerative Dermal Necrosis disease in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I am advised that there were tens of thousands of adult salmon migrating through both the Shannon and Erne stations, decades after the...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. I am advised that the quantity of eels captured (including those transported around Ardnacrusha Dam) in the Shannon System in the years 1997 to 2007 is as follows: Year Brown Eels (Kgs) Silver Eels (Kgs) Total (Kgs) 1997 61,775 32,113 93,888 1998 44,646 29,796 74,442 1999 52,707 29,798 82,485 2000 25,959 32,026 57,975 2001 16,053...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. I am advised that the European eel constitutes one shared panmictic stock, found all over Europe, northern Africa and the Mediterranean parts of Asia. In past decades, fishing yield and recruitment (i.e. juvenile eels) has gradually declined. Recruitment across Europe has dropped to between 1% and 10% of that observed during the 1970s. It...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: As a consequence of Council Regulation EC No.1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel, it is inevitable that the commercial harvest of eels will have to be curtailed from 2009 onwards. I will consider the detail of the issues which arise from that situation in the context of the finalisation of the Eel Management Plans, which must be submitted to the EU...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (23 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the management, conservation, protection and development of the inland fisheries resource rests with the regional fisheries boards. The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board is responsible for the management of fisheries in the Shannon region and the enforcement of provisions of the Fisheries Acts 1959 — 2003. Details of the number of...

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: As part of the overall process of agency rationalisation that the Minister for Finance announced in this year's budget, a new national inland fisheries body will be established, which will replace the eight existing regional fisheries boards and the Central Fisheries Board. Amending legislation will be required to give effect to the decision. I have established a small group, chaired by my...

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I thank the Deputy for her support for the measure that was announced here on budget day.

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: The establishment of a new national inland fisheries body will subsume the existing central and regional fisheries boards, thereby reducing the number of boards from eight to one. In addition, the number of board members will be reduced from around 160 at the moment to ten or even fewer. That in itself is a welcome development. We are in the process of putting together an implementation...

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: The implementation group is being established and will comprise of two officials from the Central Fisheries Board, two officials from the Regional Fisheries Board and it will be chaired by my Department. The Deputy asked a question about the expenses. Savings estimated at approximately €300,000 per annum will be afforded by reduced board membership. The new organisation will consolidate...

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: As the Deputy said, that post was advertised and the matter is progressing.

Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I am not saying that. To the best of my knowledge the advertisement was placed in the newspapers before the announcement was made on budget day and that matter is being considered.

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: In accordance with sections 19 and 22 of the Fisheries Act 1980, as amended by the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1999, each fisheries board is required, no later than a month after completion of audit, to present a copy of its accounts to the Minister. As Minister, I am required, within three months of receiving the accounts of the fisheries boards, and following my bringing of the accounts to...

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I was not too sure but the point has been clarified regarding 2007 and 2008. The 2006 audited accounts were noted by the Government in May and are due to be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming days.

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: The Deputy might let me make the point. Under section 10 of the Official Languages Act of 2003, annual reports and audited accounts must be published in both official languages simultaneously. The Irish translations of the 2006 accounts were only delivered to us on 22 October.

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: Sorry, in October 2008.

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: The outstanding accounts are with the Comptroller and Auditor General. I would not like to give the impression that there is something wrong or that something underhanded is being done. The delay should not have happened. We will not be obliged to tolerate that delay much longer because the rationalisation to which I referred earlier is being carried out.

Regional Fisheries Boards. (29 Oct 2008)

Seán Power: I am quite happy to accept that responsibility.