Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

I wish to re-echo the comments made by other Members regarding the State funeral of the late President Patrick Hillery. He was everything that decency means. He was a constitutional republican in the truest sense and, in his own quiet way, brought a great deal of panache to the Presidency. The people of County Clare had a great champion in the late President Hillery and I was pleased to attend his funeral and to participate in the final tribute to him.

I also wish to be identified and associated with the congratulations extended to Senator Ciaran Cannon on his elevation to the leadership of the Progressive Democrats and to commiserate with Senator O'Malley. As one cannot have winners without losers, the role of a loser is highly pertinent to the creation of the role of a winner.

I have raised in this House a number of times the illegal practices taking place on lakes, canals and some rivers. My statements in this regard were confirmed by a headline in last week's edition of the Westmeath Topic. It stated that a member of the public who tried to report that four or five people had taken a number of fish illegally from a particular waterway was physically threatened and attempts were made to throw him into the river. Such activities, which have been ongoing, must stop. Those who have been Members of this House for a number of years will recall that I have raised this matter several times and I now ask for action to be taken. The point of talking has long passed. We have talked the talk and now should walk the walk. I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on this matter with the appropriate Minister, who I understand to be the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Definite proposals should be put forward to eliminate this practice.