Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and record my appreciation for the courtesy of his officials who are present in arranging a helpful briefing prior to today's meeting.

It bears repetition that our inland rivers and lakes are an enormous resource for this country in terms of our own use, recreational enjoyment and quality of life but also in terms of our tourism product and the economy. Rivers and lakes occupy 2% of our landmass and they are a significant resource which should be treated with respect and care. They should be available for the full enjoyment of our people and as a tourism resource. Sea angling, which comes within the terms of reference of the legislation, is of equal importance to tourism and has greater potential than is being currently realised. Our sea angling product needs further development. The 2005 Farrell Grant Sparks review of our resources in this area estimated that angling-related tourism and the commercial salmon fishing element of rivers and lakes had a value of €19.1 million to the economy. That is significant and its management must be of great importance.

It is reasonable that after 30 years we would review the structures. Inland Fisheries Ireland will replace the seven regional fisheries boards, the National Salmon Commission and the fisheries co-operative societies. The legislation will amend and update the Fisheries Acts 1959 to 2007. The Bill also updates the penalties. I support the move to bring the penalties into line with the consumer price index. For them to have any effect, they should have a reasonable punitive dimension.

Although the Minister stopped short of estimating the savings accruing from rationalisation I understand, based on various sources and opinions, that a saving to the Exchequer in the region of €300,000 per annum should be realised. Of course this is to be welcomed. It might seem small money in the overall context, but if we take the approach that every sum is small money, we will never realise any savings. This is an important dimension.

My party is strongly in favour of reducing the number of quangos, and the duplication of bodies and their functions which results in additional costs and a lack of co-ordination and coherence. Those of us who have served in local government or in politics at any level will be aware there are so many bodies doing the same thing that one does not know what the other is doing. The country is awash with them. We are not quite as bad as Greece but that is not something to be happy about. We need to deal with this. On that basis, I have no problem supporting the reduction in the number of quangos. This is very much consistent with a point we have been arguing consistently. Our spokesperson in this area, Deputy Leo Varadkar, has been campaigning consistently at Oireachtas level and beyond for the rationalisation of quangos.

I spoke today to people from the fisheries sector. One difficulty with the current fisheries boards is that regions can act independently. There can be a lack of co-ordination. The west could be doing one thing while the east could be doing something different. The bodies have tended to be unwieldy. With 23 members, the structure was a bit cumbersome and big. The lack of co-ordination between individual fisheries boards did not represent the best modus vivendi or way to proceed.

It would be remiss of me not to say there are many outstanding people on local and regional fisheries boards. They have a passion for fishing and love of the environment and the amateur status of fishing. They have a commitment to the country, tourism and a quality outdoor way of life. To besmirch them in any way would be wrong. Their commitment cannot be understated or under-regarded. Nonetheless, that does not suggest we should not have reform.

The functions of the new inland fisheries body will include the protection, management and development of freshwater fisheries, the management of stocks and sea angling, and marketing. There is tremendous and increased potential for the marketing of our sea angling product and of inland fisheries on rivers and lakes in terms of their potential for indigenous recreational fishing and tourism. I understand from the industry, by way of anecdote and other means, that there has been a reduction in the number of visitors to Ireland, notably from England, for angling. While there are many contributing factors, it is a source of concern. I gather from guest-house owners that there has been a marked reduction in visitor numbers over recent years. This is a source of concern and it makes it important to have effective marketing and sales, good stock levels, quality water and good fishing opportunities for anglers.

Access to lakes and rivers is important. This is an issue in rural areas. It is not specifically relevant to the legislation but it does to pertain to it. I ask the Minister to comment on it later during Second Stage. I refer to physical access and issues associated with rights of way. In some areas, the lack of access is a disincentive to fishing on certain lakes and streams.

Tragically, flooding has become a huge issue in many parts of the country. The Acting Chairman, Senator Bradford, would be much more familiar with this than I am in that his area was much more affected than mine, although mine did experience some damage. Flooding has been of extraordinary consequence over the past winter and autumn. It will be necessary for Inland Fisheries Ireland to draw up a plan to cope with flooding nationally. This is not referred to specifically in the legislation, which is regrettable. I ask the Minister of State to comment on the need to put in place a plan to cope with flooding problems.

There is a requirement in the legislation that a national inland fisheries forum be established by the new fisheries body. This is welcome. The Opposition parties, specifically Fine Gael, would prefer the terms of reference of the national forum to be set out more specifically and to be more embedded in the legislation. This also applies to the method of appointment to the forum.

With regard to the advisory forum, there will be a certain lacuna by virtue of the abolition of the regional fisheries boards. There will be a lack of democratic contact and a lack of bubbling up of the views of anglers and amateur groups on the ground, local tourism interests and communities. However, the forum will provide a means for the bubbling up of opinions, attitudes and ideas to the nine-member board. It is important that there be a local dimension. The Minister made reference to this and said it would be the function of the forum and board to create local structures whereby people can input their views.

With regard to the terms of reference of the forum, there should be a very widespread regional dimension. There should be a widespread dimension in terms of the various amateur groups and stakeholders such that they will all be involved in the national forum. The national forum should in some way compensate for what will be lost in the abolition of the regional fisheries boards in terms of local input and control. One can never underestimate the value of local opinions. We would have preferred more clarity in this regard. I welcome the fact the management will be based on the six river basin areas in regard to the water framework directive.

When considering the legislation on whistleblowers, our amendment seeking protection for whistleblowers was accepted on Committee Stage in the Dáil. I welcome that as it is necessary.

I am happy the joint Oireachtas committee will be making three appointments. I hope the Minister will make his appointments very early and that the appointees will reflect the various regions and strands. I hope he will explain to the committee why the appointees were selected. In making appointments, gender balance will obviously have to be considered, as will regional balance and the views of various interest groups and amateur groups. I ask the Minister of State to ensure those appointments are summarily dealt with, that there is an early rationale for them and that the committee acts with that knowledge. It is important that those facets are included in the legislation.

Fine Gael is essentially supportive of the legislation on the grounds that rationalisation must be good. We are concerned that there should be clarity around the democratic input through the national forum. We are concerned, too, that the democratic input should be ensured by the diverse nature of the actual board as well as by a diverse national forum and local consultation. With those qualifications we accept the legislation. I look forward to the Minister of State's response to those particular points.