Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Feb 1952

Vol. 129 No. 3

Committee on Finance. - Vote 28—Fisheries.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Bartley)

I move:—

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1952, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Sea and Inland Fisheries, including a Grant-in-Aid.

The Supplementary Estimate is for a token sum of £10. Its object is to seek the approval of Dáil Éireann for widening the scope of sub-head F (5) of the Vote for Fisheries (which deals mainly with compensation payable in respect of the abolition of freshwater netting under Section 35 of the Fisheries Act, 1939), so as to cover payments which fall to be made under the Freshwater Fisheries (Prohibition of Netting) Act, 1951. This Act, which became law on the 31st July, 1951, authorises the making of ex gratia payments to certain classes of persons who suffered loss through the abolition of freshwater netting under the Act of 1939, but who are not entitled to compensation under that Act. The Freshwater Fisheries (Prohibition of Netting) Act, 1951, also provides for payment of interest on compensation paid under the 1939 Act and for contributions towards the cost of showing title to this compensation.

Sufficient savings are available under sub-head F (5) of the Vote for Fisheries, 1951-52, to meet payments during the current financial year under the Freshwater Fisheries (Prohibition of Netting) Act, 1951, which are estimated at approximately £5,000, and, as already stated, the sole object of the Supplementary Estimate is to extend the scope of the sub-head so as to cover these payments.

Seamus Ó Díolúin

Is mór an truagh nach mbíonn an Teachta sin ag labhairt Gaeilge níos minicí annseo. Tá sí go binn blasta aige agus níl sí agham ach beagáinín. Nuair a bhí sé in a chónaí sa Ghaeltach bhíodh sé ag labhairt Gaeilge ach ó tháinig sé go Baile Átha Cliath, níl Gaeilge ar bith le cloisteál uaidh.

I am ashamed to talk Irish in this House because I am not fit, as they say in Monaghan, but the Deputy is one of the most accomplished Irish speakers in the House.

Mr. Bartley

You are wide of the mark there, I am sorry.

Mr. Dillon

I used to get the greatest pleasure listening to him. I am no grammarian but I have a nice sense of euphony and I can say that he spoke it very agreeably. I would be prepared to leave the matter to the arbitrament of the Minister for Lands. I must say I could always listen to Deputy Bartley with much more composure than I could to the Minister for Lands.

An Ceann Comhairle

This is surely irrelevant?

Mr. Dillon

I used to get great abuse because I was not talking Irish. I never made any excuse for not talking Irish; I was not fit to talk it.

An Ceann Comhairle

That is irrelevant.

Mr. Dillon

I think it is appropriate to sound this note of lamentation. That being done, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary just this question. Does the sum he now seeks cover the claims which have been passed for payment in this financial year and am I right in believing that there will be substantial additional sums appropriated next year and possibly the year after before the rights of all the persons, including those provided for in the amending Bill, will have been disposed of and discharged?

Gearóid Mac Parthaláin

Níl fhios agam an dteastaíonn an teolas uaidh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla.

Seamus Ó Díolúin

Anois éistigí leis an nGaeilg bhinn blasta.

Gearóid Mac Parthaláin

Ba mhaith liom an méid seo a rá i nGaeilge leis, go bhfuil £52,000 ceapaithe le haghaidh cúitimh faoin tseribhís seo i gcóir na bliana seo agus an costas ar fad a bheas ar an Stát sa rud seo, beidh sé suas le £180,500.

The total provided this year for this compensation is £52,000 and the total estimated to be required under Section 35 of the 1939 Act and the 1951 Act together will amount in final total to £180,500. Section 35 claims paid up to the present date are as follows: Owners, ten in number, have been paid a total sum of £40,155; Employees, 30 in number, have been paid a total sum of £3,126. Under Section 35 of the 1939 Act outstanding claims are as follows: Owners are about 20 in number—these cases are mostly in the hands of the Chief State Solicitor at present—and employees outstanding are nil. Under the 1951 Act eight ex gratia payments have been made to employees, totalling £668. Eight payments of interest totalled £2,143 6s. 4d., and the claims under the 1951 Act outstanding are as follows: Owners and lessees, approximately 39 in number, employees approximately 27 in number. The position under the 1951 Act is still fluid, as the period, on the request of Deputy Dillon, for making claims was postponed to the 1st July, so that we may expect further claims to come in up to that date.

Vote put and agreed to.