Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of prosecutions of inland fisheries related offences that have taken place to date in 2017. [44504/17]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) that the number of prosecutions for fisheries related offences to date in 2017 is fourteen.

I am also advised by IFI that a significant number of cases are under consideration following activity during recent months.

The Inland Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2017 (No. 16 of 2017) came into operation on 11 July 2017 and confers an explicit power on Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) to bring and prosecute summary proceedings for inland fisheries offences.

This Act resolves an issue concerning IFI’s power to prosecute that came to light in February 2017.  It ensures that IFI is fully empowered to enforce the Inland Fisheries Acts and to protect and conserve Ireland’s valuable inland fisheries and sea-angling resource.