Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if copies of the recent report by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority are available to Members of Dáil Éireann or to the public. [18009/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is an independent authority which was established under Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006 on January 1st 2007. The Act provides that the Authority is independent in the exercise of its functions and may publish any reports on matters related to its functions, subject to the normal requirements regarding the Annual Report of statutory bodies. The latter, along with copies of the audited accounts, is presented to me, as the responsible Minister, prior to its being laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The distribution of all other reports is a matter entirely for the Authority.

The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is of course fully accountable to Committees of the Oireachtas. Section 68 of the Act sets out, specifically, the detailed position in relation to accountability of the Authority to the Committees of the Oireachtas.