Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

396. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentry Question No. 396 of 14 May 2013 if he will provide the reasons that a draft salmon fishing licence did not issue to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who did not avail of the salmon hardship scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30523/13]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The annual allocation of public licences for commercial draft nets is governed by the provisions of the relevant Control of Fishing for Salmon Order. The issuing of licences is administered by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the decision on licence allocations were made in advance of the season which commenced on the 12th May. Any person over the age of 18 is entitled to apply for a public draft net licence unless they have previously availed of the Salmon Hardship Scheme. The process identifies a number of categories of applicant depending on, inter alia, the applicant’s previous fishing history.

In the area in question there were a total of 20 applications for 14 available licences. In the interests of fairness, fishermen who most recently held a licence are prioritised. All the previous licence holders from 2012 applied again in 2013 and consequently all available licences were allocated and there were none available for the 6 other applicants, one of whom is the person the subject of the question, who has not held a draft net licence in the past 6 years.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

397. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a person who availed of the salmon hardship scheme can be named as an authorised person to operate the commercial licence during the absence of the licensee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30529/13]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I can advise the Deputy that the Control of Fishing for Salmon order provides for a nominee on a commercial salmon fishing licence. In the event that the licence holder is unable to fish, the nominee may fish the licence on their behalf provided the licence holder is medically unfit to fish the licence and can provide medical evidence to that effect.

The Licence holder can seek to have a person authorised as the nominee by doing so in writing to the relevant River Basin District Director of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), who administer the licensing process. IFI will, as in other years, review all aspects of the licencing regime and will make recommendations to the Department, in advance of the 2014 season.

While it is not a situation IFI encounter, except on very rare occasions, in consideration of award of licences, it is possible that the nominee may be a person who previously availed of the ‘Salmon Hardship Scheme’ but it is a condition of that scheme that the nominee may not apply for a commercial licence in his/her name again.