John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 327: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost of the timber fabricated piece fitted to the fish pass at Lacken Weir, County Kilkenny; the labour and other costs related to this work; the cost of the concrete extension fitted to the same fish pass in summer 2005; the labour and other costs related to this work; the cost of installing a second fish pass during summer 2005 on the same weir; the name of the consultants involved in this work and their cost; the number of quotations obtained and from whom in relation to the plan to observe the fish pass on camera; when this work is likely to be carried out; if a short-term solution will be implemented to enable salmon to pass this weir; the person or body responsible for providing a long-term solution to the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32402/05]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The timber fabricated piece fitted to the fish pass at Lacken Weir, County Kilkenny, was purchased and installed by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the Southern Regional Fisheries Board, SRFB. The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has confirmed the cost of fabrication of the wooden structure as €7,350.30. Labour and other costs related to this work amounted to €12,115.88. As the timber extension was a temporary measure, the extension and timber baffles have been recovered and may be reused. The work to fit a concrete extension to the denil fish pass and the installation of a second fish pass during summer 2005 were carried out as a single operation. The total costs were as follows:

There was no requirement for consultancy services in the carrying out of this work. Any plans to introduce fish cameras at Lacken Weir is a matter for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

The second, groyne, fish pass installed during summer 2005 has been inspected recently following reports of salmon mortalities in its vicinity. The SRFB have informed the OPW that the groyne pass is not operating at optimum capacity during low flows and have identified a requirement for a minor adjustment to the rock armour.

Since the remediation works were carried out there has been no evidence of a hold up of salmon at Lacken Weir and fish have been seen ascending both the denil pass and the groyne pass. It is regrettable that inaccuracies in recent newspaper reports on the subject in both national and regional papers may have lead members of the public to believe otherwise. A press statement has been issued to the papers concerned detailing the facts. A copy of this statement is available on request from my office to anybody interested in the facts in this matter.