Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House. This is an important debate and the subject is one on which perhaps we should have a broader debate.

The inland fisheries sector is an important industry for this country. Our pigmeat industry is in a crisis. Our inland fisheries is significant in terms of tourism. The River Moy in my county is probably the finest salmon fishing river in the world. I compliment the regional fisheries boards and the Central Fisheries Board on the tremendous work they have done over many years. They have done great work on tributaries, main rivers and lakes, whether it be in terms of salmon, trout or pike stocks. It is one sector in which there has not been any great waste of funds. Every single euro the boards, whether it be the regional fisheries boards or the Central Fisheries Board, have been allocated seems to have been well spent.

From what the Minister said, it strikes me that the Government does not have a great commitment to the development of our inland fisheries. A review was carried out in 2005, which is nearly five years ago——