Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have raised on numerous occasions issues regarding Inland Fisheries Ireland and fisheries matters and angling over a number of months. As a former Minister of State with responsibility for natural resources, I have some insight in relation to the issues at stake there. The Minister for the Environment, Climate Action and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, initiated a review into the functioning of the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland and a report was published on 12 July by Conleth Bradley SC. This was received by the Department of Environment, Climate Action and Communications on 22 July. It was sent to the Chair of Inland Fisheries Ireland on 26 September and published by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on 7 November. There was quite an elongated process to publish what is quite a simple report and review.

I have read the report and the most pertinent point was point No. 103 on page 37. Members will have to listen carefully to follow this because it uses legalese. Whether it is purposefully confusing or not, I do not know. It reads: "There is not a basis, from the alleged disclosures and the information and documentation which have been reviewed, for the Minister to be satisfied that the functions of IFI are not being performed in an effective manner such as to give effect to the removal of all members of IFI from office." Talk about a long way of saying that there were no issues with the board and that the Minister should be happy. In plain English, that is the summary of the report. It makes a number of other recommendations. Over the coming weeks, I intend to read into the record, issues of corruption within Inland Fisheries Ireland, within senior management and cover ups by the Department of the Environment, Climate Action and Communications. The whole Inland Fisheries Ireland organisation is rotten and corrupt. Do not worry, a Chathaoirligh, I am not going to name any individual, but it is rotten and corrupt.

The Minister, instead of carrying out an investigation into the organisation, decided to carry an investigation into the board and once the report was received took months to send it to the chair of IFI. There are reasons behind all of this but I will not say any more.

However, I intend over the coming weeks to read into the record issues pertaining to Inland Fisheries Ireland. It can be on notice, the Minister can be on notice and the Secretary General of the Department, who has taken a hands off approach to the matter of Inland Fisheries Ireland, can be on notice as well.It is not my issue. It is a matter that Inland Fisheries Ireland can take note of as well.