Results 12,761-12,780 of 13,214 for speaker:Pat Gallagher

Written Answers — Harbours and Piers: Harbours and Piers (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Dingle Harbour operates under the 1946 Harbours Act whereby commissioners are appointed to manage the port. Dingle Harbour commissioners have sought designation of Dingle as a fishery harbour centres, so as to rank among the fishery harbour centres, which are 100% funded by the Exchequer, to which the Fishery Harbour Centre Acts 1968 to 1998 apply. The designated fishery harbour centres are...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 284 together. I have met the representative of the Irish South and East Fishermen's Organisation on a number of occasions since my appointment as Minister of State. I met representatives of the fishing industry, including a representative from the Irish South and East Fishermen's Organisation, for detailed discussions on 20 December, in advance of the...

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 285 together. It is important to set out the background to the issues arising for the scallop fishing sector. The main scallop fishery has traditionally been off the south-east coast of Ireland and fishing effort has been increasing since the mid-1990s. There are serious concerns about the state of the scallop stock in Irish waters where fishing effort...

Written Answers — Fishing Vessel Licences: Fishing Vessel Licences (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 transferred responsibility for the licensing of sea-fishing boats from the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to the Licensing Authority for Sea-Fishing Boats which operates on an independent basis subject to criteria set out in that Act. The licensing authority implements general licensing policy in accordance with policy directives...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (15 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Port of Waterford Company operates under the Harbours Acts 1996 and 2000. Under the Acts, the primary function of the company is the management, control, operation and development of its harbour, ensuring that its revenue is sufficient to meet its expenditure. In the light of this statutory requirement, the company informs me that it has been conducting a review of its non-core assets to...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 extended responsibility for the management and development of inland fisheries in the Carlingford area to the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. It also conferred on the agency responsibility for, inter alia, the development and licensing of aquaculture in the Foyle and Carlingford areas and provided that legislation would...

Written Answers — Salmon Fishing Licences: Salmon Fishing Licences (10 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Under the Fisheries Acts, the regional fisheries boards are responsible for the issuing of commercial salmon fishing licences. As the Deputy will be aware, drift net salmon fishing around the coast is now confined to a two month period in June and July each year on a four day week basis. I am advised by the regional fisheries boards that it is normal practice to issue drift net licences, upon...

Written Answers — Coastal Erosion: Coastal Erosion (10 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Responsibility for coast 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 to 2006 national coast protection programmes. Waterford County Council submitted proposals in respect of ten...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (10 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: A review of aquaculture operations in Ardgroom Harbour is being undertaken with a view to ensuring that longlines deployed for the cultivation of mussels are compliant with licence requirements and configured so as to optimise navigational safety and minimise visual impacts. The Department, in conjunction with Bord Iascaigh Mhara, is examining various proposals and the aim is that, in the...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I understand that South Tipperary County Council has constructed a waste water treatment plant at Carrick-on-Suir and that this plant has been in operation since July 2004. The application for a foreshore lease was processed by this Department in line with standard procedures. Following receipt of the recommendations of the Department's expert advisers, a notice was placed in the local...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The report to which the Deputy refers is a report entitled Marine Health Check 2005: A report to gauge the health of the UK's sea-life. This report is concerned with UK waters and argues for the introduction of particular national legislation. The report examines 16 marine species and habitats from an overall conservation perspective taking into account factors such as pollution, fishing,...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Modernisation: Fishing Fleet Modernisation (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Since 1998, 64 new fishing vessels have received grant aid under fleet renewal programmes. Of the 21 vessels over 24 metres in length, only two were specifically designed with the capacity to target exclusively deep water species. Both vessels, however, retain all the attributes and equipment required to allow them also target traditional, non-deep water stocks. All the vessels introduced...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Under the Fisheries Acts, primary responsibility for the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries rests with the regional fisheries boards. Is in my understanding that the recent protests by anglers in County Kerry relate to demands for access to public fisheries which are managed by the national parks and wildlife service on behalf of the Minister...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Primary responsibility for this matter rests with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Issues relating to the use of land within the port estate are primarily a matter for the Dublin Port Company and I understand that the port company is in the process of preparing a formal submission to Dublin City Council on the framework plan for the Poolbeg...

Written Answers — Aquaculture Development: Aquaculture Development (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Following a decade of continuous expansion, the salmon farming industry has faced a number of difficulties over the past three years. The most significant of these has been a 30% drop in product prices as a result of distortion to the international market. Coinciding with this, Irish salmon farms have experienced exceptional mortality levels during 2003 and 2004. At a national level, higher...

Written Answers — Search and Rescue Service: Search and Rescue Service (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Officials in my Department are engaged in bringing together the safety services provided by the Irish Coastguard and the maritime safety directorate into a single body for greater co-ordination and more effective and efficient delivery of services. As part of this process, the closure of one of the three marine rescue co-ordination centres, one of a number of key recommendations of...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: Primary responsibility for road and rail infrastructure rests with my colleague, the Minister for Transport. In 2002, the new Department of Transport was established. While ports remained under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, the Department works closely with the Department of Transport on matters relating to transport policy, particularly those...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: While pair trawling does occur in the lower River Shannon candidate special area of conservation, SAC, I have been advised by the competent authority for the habitats directive, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, that the fishing effort is regarded as low and seasonal in nature with vessels pursuing mainly sprat during late autumn and winter in an outer portion...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: While I am aware of the difficulties arising from the works undertaken on the weir on the River Nore in Kilkenny city, this project was undertaken on behalf of, and is therefore the responsibility of, the Office of Public Works. Due to the impact the new installation was having on the passage of migrating salmon up river, the regional fisheries board and the engineering division of this...

Written Answers — Fishing Fleet Modernisation: Fishing Fleet Modernisation (8 Feb 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The programme for the renewal of the whitefish fleet was introduced in 1998 as part of the Operational Programme for Fisheries 1994-1999. The programme was operated by Bord Iascaigh Mhara and included grant aid for the introduction of new and modern second-hand whitefish vessels, modernisation of existing vessels and safety grants. Under the programme 29 new vessels were grant aided, ranging...