Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for reading the reply, which is similar to the note that was issued to Oireachtas Members on 16 May. The last line said the review does not in any way relate the matters I raised on the Order of Business on 5 May. That is the whole point – it should. It should investigate all of the matters that I have raised.

The Minister of State is right, it states my wording in relation to the matter is there on the top, but that is not what was read out by the Cathaoirleach. It changed along the way, and it did not change within the Seanad Office without the intervention of the Department. There was quite specific wording given to the Seanad Office by the Department. For some reason, it did not want this to appear on the record - irregularities within Inland Fisheries Ireland from 1 January 2021 to date. It had the wording that I put down, yet the script it provided to the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, did not answer any of the things relating to 2021. It related to just 1 February to 27 April.

The response from the office of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Department is a total whitewash. There needs to be a thorough investigation into the matters that I have asked. There needs to be a new note sent to Oireachtas Members regarding the inaccuracies that I have reported here today regarding its 16 May note. I would ask that the terms of reference of the investigation be broadened to include the matters I outlined today. I also ask the Minister to carry out a review, similar to that which was arranged for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I ask for a full review of Inland Fisheries Ireland. I had hoped, with a new CEO being appointed in 2020, I think it was, that we would have a new approach-----