Seanad debates

Thursday, 21 November 2002

Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage.

 

I will tell a little story to lighten the debate. I listened carefully to Senator Daly speak about the need to invest in infrastructure and piers here and there and how little was done. He is correct. It was like the drainage of the Shannon; every Government said it would do it. There was a famous Minister of State, whose name I will not mention except to say that his two sons are prominent in Galway football, and he told me when he was moved forcibly from one side of his county to another and was elected for Galway West, the big issue in the fishing area was the pier at Rossaveal. He spent all his time as Minister of State endeavouring to have it built. He said that having gone in there as a rookie from east Galway not knowing anyone, having got a few votes in Rossaveal the previous time, the box would be overflowing with Donnellan votes the next time round. He was looking forward to the opening of the box. He turned to me and said, "Joe, do you know what? I will tell you the difference it made when I got the pier – my vote halved."

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