asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of prosecutions taken against the skippers of foreign vessels for illegal fishing inside the exclusive fishery limits of the State in 1973.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Illegal Fishing Prosecutions.
24.
The number is ten.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that our fishery protection service is adequate?
That is a separate question.
It is directly related to the question on the Order Paper.
As the Minister for Defence indicated recently, we are getting an additional protection vessel and possibly when we have that it will be reasonably adequate.
One can never be sure of what he says.
In how many cases has the State withdrawn its summons as it did last week?
These are separate questions.
The State used to withdraw a number of cases when you people were in power but we are trying to administer the law on a more impartial basis.
(Interruptions.)