asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state (a) the number of new fishing boats acquired by his Department in the last five years, (b) the number built in Irish boatyards, (c) the number built in foreign boatyards, listing each country separately and (d) the amount of money paid to each country for such boat building.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Fishing Boats.
50.
My Department do not acquire fishing boats.
The statistics available to An Bord Iascaigh Mhara as to the number and cost of new fishing vessels added to the Irish fishing fleet relate only to vessels acquired by their owners with financial assistance under the board's marine credit plan. In the five years ended 31st March, 1968, the number of such vessels was 185, costing £929,533, of which 177 costing £440,370 were Irish built, six costing £410,668 were built in France and two costing £78,495 were built in Norway.
Would the Minister say why any such boats should be built outside this country?
That is a question I would love the Deputy to answer me.
Unfortunately, this is Question Time and not Answer Time. I would love to give the Minister a number of answers he should be aware of himself, but would the Minister not look into the matter and see if there is a possibility of having all these boats built in Ireland in future?
I have looked into the possibility and I hope many of them will be built here in the future, but not all of them, which is something unfortunate.
In view of the fact that there are ample facilities for buying them here does the Minister not think that he should look into this?
Because of the fact that there are local bodies——
(Interruptions.)
——that I should get mainly myself and the dealers together——
You will get me anyway.