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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Nov 1969

Vol. 242 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drogheda (Louth) Drainage Compensation.

44.

andMr. Bruton asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will increase the grant sanctioned to Drogheda Harbour Board for their drainage programme to provide funds to compensate mussel fishermen whose livelihood will be destroyed by the dredging of the channel for shipping.

The State grant for the Drogheda harbour improvement scheme is for 50 per cent of the cost subject to a maximum of £175,000. The improvement scheme included an item for re-seeding of the mussel beds consequent to dredging operations. The adequacy of this arrangement is a matter presently in dispute between the harbour board and the fishermen. I understand that Bord Iascaigh Mhara are actively engaged in attempting to find a solution to the problem acceptable to all interests concerned. Any action which the harbour commissioners may find it necessary or desirable to take in this matter is primarily their own responsibility and the question of any alteration in the State grant does not arise at this stage at any rate.

Would the Minister not agree that a grant towards re-seeding is inadequate to meet the problems in this case due to the fact that the work being carried out by Drogheda Harbour Board will so deepen the channel that the mussels will be out of reach of the fishing equipment which is now available to the mussel fishermen? Therefore, is it not necessary, if they are to carry on with their livelihood under the new circumstances, that they should be provided with substantial re-equipment grants to enable them to build boats which will enable them to fish at a deeper level than they have been fishing to date? Does he not also agree that it will take some time for the re-seeding to bring the mussel stock again to the present level and that during that time, approximately three to four years, the mussel fishermen will suffer a considerable loss in livelihood? Would he therefore not consider, first of all, providing a grant for re-equipment——

The Deputy is making a long speech.

It is a long question.

In reply to the Deputy, I understand an experiment was undertaken with rowing boats and longer poles and that that does not appear to have been successful. The Deputy can be assured that Bord Iascaigh Mhara are examining the possibility of transplanting the mussels to other areas——

That is the point.

Will the Deputy listen to me?

The Minister has lost his temper.

The Deputy is rudely interrupting me.

Will the Deputy allow the Minister to reply?

What I said was that they are engaged in examining the transplanting of the mussels to other areas in the neighbourhood. They have in mind even the possibility of having mussel farms set up. In further reply to the Deputy, the matter I understand is in legal dispute between the fishermen and the harbour commissioners and I could not at this stage say anything more about the rights of the fishermen in relation to the harbour commissioners since the matter is under legal dispute.

I was going to ask a supplementary on the matter mentioned by the Minister which is, is the Minister or the Deputy aware that there is a court case going on at the present time over the rights of the fishermen? Would the Minister be able to say whether or not the grant from the harbour commissioners has anything at all to do with the amount of compensation which may ultimately be paid to the mussel fishermen, or is it not a fact that this money must be supplied by the Fisheries Branch, irrespective of what grant is given for the carrying out of the work on the river?

A local junior lawyer should know that.

In reply to the Deputy, I am not fully aware of any question of compensation. All I know is the alteration in the State grant does not arise in any way at this stage and does not preclude the harbour commissioners from doing such work as they have to do or An Bord Iascaigh Mhara taking such steps as they think advisable to take.

Thank you very much

They had too many mussels last night.

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