Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I also seek to have this issue addressed. The House had a spirited debate on Second Stage on what constitutes a nuisance and, specifically, the lack of powers accruing to local authorities to penalise excessively robust jet skiing which could upset boat passage. Am I speaking to the right section? During the Second Stage debate, when the former Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy John Browne, was in the House, some difficulty arose because of Northern Ireland, the waterways and the lack of control whereby the inland waterways did not have the legal right to intervene which in turn meant that neither did the local authorities. I want clarification on that point. I informed the interested parties in my home in Athlone that this Bill was due for discussion this week and that I would raise the point. I want clarity from the Minister of State on the issue.