Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on proposed consultations with stakeholders involved in inland fisheries during 2006; his plans for the establishment of the national inland fisheries authority and national and regional advisory councils; his further views on the Farrell Grant Sparks report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2124/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that in November last I published details of the Government's new policy for the restructuring of the inland fisheries sector. This policy is based on the recommendations contained within the Farrell Grant Sparks report. The Government has decided that a fundamental restructuring of the sector is required. It considered that this reform would result in a better model for the State's role in the sector, better resource management, more and better involvement of stakeholders, better corporate governance and value for money.

As the first step in the reform process, the Government has authorised the drafting of a Bill to establish a national inland fisheries authority, which will subsume the executive functions of the central and regional fisheries boards. The new authority will play a key role in the transformation of the sector. The current fisheries boards will be transformed into regional advisory boards. These statutory bodies will focus on regional issues and will be widely consulted on the detailed implementation of the second phase in the restructuring process.

I hope to have the legislation necessary for the establishment of the national inland fisheries authority and the national and regional advisory boards introduced in the Dáil or Seanad before the summer recess. Naturally this timeframe depends on the complexity of the legislation under development.

The Government also decided that the consultants should be re-engaged in 2006 to identify in more detail the structures, resources, funding and policy approaches needed to implement the further restructuring of the sector. The key principle informing this process is that of empowering local users and beneficiaries to take effective ownership of the resource. This process will involve full, transparent, comprehensive and patient consultations with all the stakeholders, during which the principles and structures to deliver the new model will be fleshed out. It will be an open and inclusive process aimed at achieving a consensual "buy-in".