Written answers

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fisheries Protection

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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495. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 6 May 2015, if the business case for financial resources for the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the Marine Institute is subject to the approval of his Department's fisheries division, which also has direct responsibility for fisheries development, and if the same is true of staffing matters in these agencies; and if he will acknowledge the clear conflict of interest in this arrangement which undermines the confidence of the public in the actual independence of these agencies. [22358/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As I said in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 218 of 6 May, the financial resources to cover the operating expenses of the Marine Institute and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority are made available to those agencies by the Oireachtas through my Department’s Vote. The function of my Department in relation to this matter is to ensure funds voted by the Oireachtas are used for the intended purpose and in accordance with the functions of those agencies set down in statute. This of course includes consideration of any business case made by those agencies for additional resources, including human resources.

Human resources policies for the public sector generally are determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department must manage its staffing resources and the resources of its agencies within the limits and in accordance with the policies set by that Minister. My Department is presently in discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform about changes to how pay budgets for the Department and its agencies will be managed into the future.

I am satisfied that arrangements for corporate governance oversight of agencies under the aegis of my Department are appropriate.

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