Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

The Minister of State may be a gas man but he is no fisherman judging by his comments about the fish kill in Kilkenny. I was in Kilkenny last Friday week and Saturday morning visiting a friend who lives at Lacken on the Dublin Road opposite the weir to which the Minister of State referred and which he passes six times a day on his way to and from his place of business in High Street. Given that the issue was in the news at the time, I raised it with my friend. I know Lacken Way from my own childhood, some of which was spent in Kilkenny, where I received my early education.

My friend told me he thought the incident was disgraceful. Although I do not project myself as an authority on the subject, he told me he saw scores of fish which had expired because they could not get through the weir. Perhaps the Minister of State wishes to consult one of his officials before he responds but can he tell the House how long the fish were left there? Was it days or weeks? I will not put a number on the amount of fish involved but it was not six.

I was interested in the Minister of State's comments as we are all naturally concerned about providing value for money with taxpayers' funds and we are with the Minister of State in regard to everything the Government does in attempting to achieve just that. We often have to deal with semi-State bodies but they seem to be beyond us in that we cannot get at them at all. I do not want to refer to PR budgets and so on as there is a natural tightening-up as a result of the Quigley report, which we welcome. However, I question the size of some of the semi-State bodies' budgets as well as their use and the arrogance of some of the officials. In that context, I often wonder about the semi-State bodies' responsiveness to Ministers. I am worried about the value for money aspect of some of the projects with which some semi-State bodies are involved.

I was very enthused when the Minister of State embarked on his programme of creating an inventory of State assets, to which I referred to in the House on a number of occasions. This is necessary because the State, in its many guises, has a great deal of land and property in every county. I do not refer to the national parks and properties which we cannot touch but there is a great deal of land which could be put to much better use for State purposes or for housing. Will the Minister of State inform the House of the position on this inventory when he responds to the statements as I have not encountered any information in that regard recently? It is important work which is not finished as far as I am concerned or, if it is, I have not yet heard so.

I am sorry I was not aware of his visit to Kerry because, if I had been, I could have met and greeted Senator Mansergh and heard of his unfortunate experience and the rip-off to which he referred. I trust that it did not spoil the Senator's enjoyment of the majesty and magnificent beauty of the famous Ring of Kerry.