Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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826. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider returning fees paid in respect of salmon fishing licences for the 2020 season due to the fact that anglers had little time on the water due to Covid-19 restrictions. [9131/20]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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As the Deputy will be aware, on 27 March last Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) issued angling guidance, based on public health advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) which facilitates angling while complying with Covid-19 social distancing, exercise and travel distance limitations.   These guidelines were revised with effect from 6 May in the light of updates to NPHET advice. 

The Fisheries Consolidation Act (1959) prescribes a licence duty, not a fee or a price, and this is set in secondary legislation as required. The last change (a reduction) to licence duty occurred in 2011 by statutory instrument. Successive Ministers have consented to maintaining that reduction every year since.

There are no circumstances, including those pertaining currently, which facilitate refunds within the primary legislation.  In that regard I would emphasise that a licence is for an entire period/season and logbook records demonstrate that licences are generally only used for a very small proportion of the time they cover. Licences remain usable and I would reiterate that angling has been allowed for the duration of the NPHET advised restrictions.