asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will consider the desirability and feasibility of (a) incorporating units of the fishing fleet in the fishery protection service, and (b) equipping such units for such emergency duties as do not require, or cannot have, the services of vessels of the Naval Service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fishery Protection Service.
I regret that I do not understand precisely what the Deputy has in mind as regards the employment of fishing boats in the enforcement of our exclusive fishery limits but, if he will send me full particulars as to the suggestions he has to make in that regard, I will have them carefully examined.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary discuss the question with the Minister for Defence? It was to him I addressed it. He is responsible for fishery protection. Perhaps, the Parliamentary Secretary would discuss the difficulties of the matter with him. It does seem from the reply he has given to the other questions that some arrangement of this sort is absolutely necessary if these emergency matters are to be reduced to a minimum.
I most certainly will discuss it with the Minister. I am sure the Deputy is aware that the enforcement of our exclusive fishery limits must be carried out in accordance with the recognised principles of international law.
Yes. The Parliamentary Secretary will recognise the fact that the naval vessels proved themselves not quite satisfactory on all occasions. What I want the Parliatary Secretary to do is to try and find some other method for filling in the gaps which crop up from time to time and which will in particular obviate the type of case in respect of which these questions were put down to-day.
I shall look into the matter.