At the outset I would like to pay tribute to the first Minister for Fisheries in an Irish Government, Mr. Fionán Lynch. When he came into office fishing was at its lowest ebb. He did his utmost to provide our fishermen with boats and gear. He also set up the Sea Fisheries Association, which has proved of immense benefit to our fishermen. I would like, too, to pay tribute to the officials in that Department for their courtesy when representations are made to them and for the help that they are always so ready and willing to give in order to enable our fishermen to equip themselves with all their requirements.
When Mr. Lynch was Minister for Fisheries it was possible for fishermen to get boats and gear on a 5 per cent. deposit. Later on a 10 per cent. deposit was required. Then it was raised to 15 per cent., and pay as you fish. Unfortunately the Minister responsible for fisheries in the last Government raised that deposit to 50 per cent. That, of course, made it utterly impossible for fishermen to get the equipment they required. The present Minister, on being approached in connection with this matter, has agreed that the fishermen can now get boats and gear and whatever other equipment they require on a 20 per cent. deposit and he has given a guarantee that fishermen with a good record will be supplied with all their requirements without any deposit. That is a big step forward. I believe that boats and nets and equipment will shortly become available again in greater quantity. Any man, therefore, who wishes to take up fishing as an occupation will be able to obtain all his requirements.
Other Deputies have dealt with the industry in general so I shall confine myself to those areas in my constituency where fishing is an important industry in the lives of the people. I think that if larger boats could be supplied it would be all the better for the fishermen in the South Kerry area, but of course it would be a matter for them to decide. At the present time there are numbers of our fishermen idle because boats or engines cannot be supplied. I hope that the Minister will make every effort to see that secondhand boats or engines will be given to the fishermen wherever they can be obtained and that there will be a real advance made in the building of new boats and the provision of new engines.
The fishermen have a very dangerous occupation and I think that some system of look-out should be established in certain areas so that when in difficulties out at sea some signals could be passed which would bring them relief. Recently in the Cahirciveen area there was almost a very serious accident. I am informed that in other days, during the time the English were in occupation, there were two look-outs, one at Bray Head at the end of the peninsula and the other at Doulus Head. The buildings are there and also all the equipment. Telephone wires were laid on and they are at present attached. I think if these look-outs were restored they would be of great benefit to the fishermen and might be instrumental in saving many lives. It would be desirable if at other points along the coast such things could be established, if they are not already there.
Furthermore, I think each boat should be supplied with a dozen rockets or some system of signals that would be readily recognised. At present all they can do is to put up an oar with perhaps a handkerchief or a piece of a shirt attached to it.
Deputy Dunne referred to what happens when there is a glut of fish. I do not know about the canning industry, but I suggest that some cold storage plants should be set up at the piers and they should be a convenient distance from one another. At Renard pier and at Cahirciveen these would be very necessary. There is often a glut of fish there and the means of transport are not very suitable. Oftentimes the catches have to be thrown back into the sea. The fishermen there are very anxious that the Minister would take steps to set up such a plant, some type of refrigerator which will preserve the fish until transport is available. Also at those piers, Portmagee, Renard and Cahirciveen, there should be some type of windlass or derrick which will enable fishermen to lift the engines out of the boats when they need repairs or that will help them to lift the boats on to the pier when the boats require to be repaired or painted. At present they have no facilities of that sort and they simply drag the boats up along the strand.
Anyone who would see Renard pier would wonder why it has not been improved during the years. It is really a menace to those who have to use it. In stormy weather there is no protection for the fishermen. There are not sufficient facilities to enable the boats to land their catches because the pier can accommodate only three boats at a time. One morning there were 50 boats waiting to unload. Quite recently, on representations being made to the Office of Public Works, engineers went down and plans were prepared to improve the pier. I realise it is not the duty of the Minister to carry out such work, but I hope he will make representations so that the improvement will be hurried up, because it is absolutely necessary.
In connection with inland fisheries, recently the nets were taken up and the inland fishermen can no longer carry on their industry. Of course, provision will be made for their compensation, provided they can show their receipts for the fish caught during the past seven years. That is a difficult thing to find out in many cases and those men are still awaiting compensation. Some of them made their livelihood in that way and it is not fair that they should be so treated.
There is a peculiar situation with regard to rod fishing in the Killarney lakes. For the past 100 years a fisherman paid a £2 licence, or whatever it was, and one boat often fished with two rods or perhaps three, but now all that has been stopped Some fishermen were recently prosecuted for doing that. I think it is rather peculiar when it was allowed down through the years that they should be deprived of that concession now. I would be inclined to think that they would have some kind of prescriptive right to carry on. However, if it cannot be done legally that is another matter, but I would like the Minister to examine the situation and see if those fishermen could not be allowed to carry on as in former years.
As regards the protecton of our fishermen within territorial waters, on several occasions I have seen foreign trawlers coming right up the bays within a half or a quarter of a mile off the shore. I do not know what provision is made for the protection of our fishermen, but perhaps some of the corvettes that were purchased by the last Government could be used. I am not sure if they would be so suitable and it might be better if there were some fast boats, launches or cutters, here and there along the coast which, when a signal would reach them about poaching foreign trawlers, could very soon be on the scene. It is absolutely essential that some protection should be given to our fishermen and that foreign trawlers should be kept outside our territorial waters.
Deputy Bartley suggested that we might extend the three-mile limit. If international law or usage would allow that, it would be very good. I believe that in Spain the limit is 12 miles. I do not know what the limit is in other countries, but if it could be extended in this country it would be all the better for our fishermen. I am certain the Minister is anxious to do his best for our fishermen. I hope when his term of office expires he will leave them in a much better condition than that in which he found them.