asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has any information that salmon stocks in Lough Foyle, County Donegal are being affected by factory waste and other pollutants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Lough Foyle Fishery Pollution.
32.
I have no such information.
As this is a very important fishery, half-owned by the Republic, surely the Parliamentary Secretary should make inquiries regarding the position on Lough Foyle and on the river Foyle? Locally it is known that there is serious pollution from industrial and other sources. Surely the Parliamentary Secretary should be interested enough to find out if there is pollution?
The question concerned salmon stocks in Lough Foyle and it inquired if they were being affected by factory waste and other pollutants. My answer is that I have not any information that the salmon stocks are so affected. We have made inquiries and we have ascertained from the information we received that the implication in the Deputy's question is incorrect.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying he has reason to believe there is no pollution and that the salmon stocks are not affected?
Having regard to the present indications, the answer is yes. As the Deputy is aware, the protection of salmon stocks in Lough Foyle is a matter for the Foyle Fisheries Commission.
We know that.
I realise that. Possibly the Deputy knew the answer to the question he put down also.
I am not satisfied with the implication in the reply. I asked a simple question — were salmon stocks being affected? The Parliamentary Secretary has said this is a matter for the Foyle Fisheries Commission, of which he is half boss. Why does the Parliamentary Secretary not find out?
That is not what I said. I said we had not information that salmon stocks were affected.
The Parliamentary Secretary was asked for some straightforward information but he has not given it.
The Chair is not responsible for answers given by Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries. I am calling Question No. 33.