Results 101-120 of 5,685 for speaker:Pat Gallagher in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (8 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Department has responsibility for marine emergency preparedness and response, maritime safety and ship and port security. A high level of cooperation already exists between EU member states relating to these areas. In addition, in recognition of the desire of member states and the Commission to strengthen links and create synergies between enforcement authorities, such as national...

Written Answers — Fish Quotas: Fish Quotas (8 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: There is no question of any insistence on weighing water as fish. The measures to which the Deputy is referring are EU measures introduced in 2004 to strengthen control in pelagic fisheries as a consequence of concerns about illegal landings right across Europe. As I have previously advised the House, the requirement to weigh fish will continue this year. Following on from the Council and...

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

Pat Gallagher: In November 2003, the Fisheries Council adopted a new regime to manage fishing effort in Western Waters and the "Irish Box" for the demersal, scallop and crab fisheries. This regime replaced the Western Waters regulations of 1995 which also set effort limits for the scallop fleet. The purpose of fishing effort limits in Western waters is to limit access to waters and resources and provide for...

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

Pat Gallagher: The Deputy is referring 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 UK and Norway....

Written Answers — Fishing Industry Development: Fishing Industry Development (9 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: I understand that a meeting took place in February 2003 between my colleague and predecessor as Minister of State, Deputy Browne, and the chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, NASF. I am advised that this meeting was arranged to discuss the organisation's views about the netting of wild salmon by Irish commercial fishermen. Since becoming Minister of State with responsibility for Marine...

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...

Written Answers — Marine Safety: Marine Safety (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The recommendations referred to by the Deputy were outlined in a report of the marine casualty investigation board on the tragic incident which involved the collision between the yacht Debonair and the cargo vessel Bluebird in Dublin Bay on 20 May 2001 with the loss of four lives. The report was published on 3 March 2005. I convey my sympathies to the families of the four victims on their...

Written Answers — Port Development: Port Development (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Department has had no discussions with Dublin City Council regarding the future use of port lands on the southside of the River Liffey, nor has it carried out any analysis of the possible future use of these lands for residential development. The Dublin Port Company is a State-owned company established under the Harbours Act 1996. The Act provides that the principal objects of the company...

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

Pat Gallagher: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 105 together. I rely upon the advice of the National Salmon Commission, NSC, and the National Fisheries Managers Executive, NFME, regional fisheries boards' managers, in determining the terms of the wild salmon and sea trout tagging scheme, which inter alia sets out district quotas for the commercial salmon catch annually. The National Salmon...

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

Pat Gallagher: I am advised that the Department has exchanged correspondence with the north Atlantic salmon fund, NASF, on the management of the Irish wild salmon fishery in recent years. I understand that a meeting took place in February 2003 between my colleague and predecessor as Minister of State, Deputy Browne, and the chairman of the NASF. I am advised that this meeting was arranged to discuss the...

Written Answers — Fishing Vessel Licences: Fishing Vessel Licences (10 Mar 2005)

Pat Gallagher: The Control of Fishing for Salmon Order 2005 authorises the issue of commercial fishing licences by regional fisheries boards and prescribes the criteria under which those licences may be issued. The order provides that a licence holder, when applying for the annual licence, can nominate another person to be authorised and named to operate that licence only in the absence of the licence...

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

Pat Gallagher: It is the Government's view that our salmon stock is a national asset, which must be conserved and protected, as well as being exploited as a resource, on a shared and sustainable basis. A delicate balancing exercise is therefore necessary between the needs of the coastal and inland communities who depend on fishing resources for their livelihood and the recreational users, including...

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...