Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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570. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the reason the board of the Inland Fisheries Ireland does not include representation for coarse, pike and sea angling, which generates 79% of the total angling revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49221/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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The principal functions of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are set out at Section 7 (1) of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, which are the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. The Act, in defining the membership of IFI provides that the persons to be appointed shall have experience or capacity in one or more areas defined in the Act; and that they shall be appointed with a view to representing the public interest.

The current Board was appointed in accordance with the provisions of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources appoints members as follows: 3, including the Chairperson, on his own nomination; 1 nominated by the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government; 1 nominated by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs; and 3 nominated on the advice of the Joint Oireachtas Committee relevant to my Department.

The Act also provides that one Board member is appointed following election by the staff of IFI and that the Chief Executive Officer shall be an ex-officio member of the Board.

While the board is appointed to act in the public interest, the Deputy will be aware that the National Inland Fisheries Forum in accordance with Section 7 (4) of the Act, makes specific provision for stakeholder input to policy formulation. The Forum is designed to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to management and development policies and is a valuable channel of communication between the stakeholders and management in this regard.