asked the Minister for Fisheries if the final report of the approaching Fishery Conference will be in his hands in time for him to base his Estimate for 1927-28 upon its recommendations, and, if not, whether the Minister will say if in the Fishery Estimate now being framed he has made provision for the revaluation of boats and gear purchased by the fishermen during and immediately following the Great War period, and for loans on a much larger scale than in the previous estimates; or, if he has not already made such provision whether he will ask the Conference, which meets on March 1st, to make a preliminary report to him of its recommendations on those two heads in time to enable him to frame his Estimate for the coming year upon such recommendations.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - THE FISHERY CONFERENCE.
The Estimates of my Department for the financial year 1927-8 were submitted to the Minister for Finance last December. They are now printed in readiness for submission to the Dáil. These Estimates deal only with proposed expenditure and receipts by the Department, and consequently do not deal with any matter affecting the writing down of loans advanced to fishermen by the State.
Provision is made in the Estimate to be submitted to the Dáil for the continuation of the service of granting loans to fishermen. If this provision should prove inadequate during the course of the year, the Dáil will be asked to vote additional money on a Supplementary Estimate.
Would the Minister state if his Department has put up any recommendations to the Department of Finance suggesting a revaluation of those boats?
I have.
Has the Minister had a reply?
It is not definitely decided yet.