Seanad debates

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

3:00 pm

Photo of Denis O'DonovanDenis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I call for a debate on the separation of powers. In the previous Dáil, as Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, I publicly and strongly put forward the suggestion that any interference or contact by Oireachtas Members with members of the Garda Síochána in particular should be outlawed. At that stage there was no cross-party support for such a move. It is an issue that should be debated in the House. A precedent has developed over the years whereby the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been approached on the mitigation of fines and such matters. I call for the outlawing once and for all of this type of approach by e-mail, correspondence or phone call. I feel very strongly about this matter.

I re-iterate to the Leader my plea to him for a debate on the fishing industry. He promised it to me last year but we are now in 2010. I hope it can be dealt with, especially as we will have a European review of the Common Fisheries Policy that has critical implications for the Irish fishing industry. In this regard, a side issue of sea fishing is that of aquaculture and mariculture. Almost 20 years ago the fishing industry, the Department and people involved in fish farming had an aspiration for a certain level of tonnage, whether it be farmed salmon, trout, mussels, clams or abalone. The strategy has fallen short of what was envisaged in the early 1990s. There should be a debate on the issue because countries such as Chile, Norway, France and the Netherlands are leaving us behind. There is great potential for job creation in this industry because there are lots of bays and the oceans are extensive. The matter should be viewed as an opportunity to create environmentally friendly jobs that would benefit the island of Ireland. We have failed thus far to exploit the natural potential of the seas.

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