asked the Minister for Defence the inducement his Department offer to retiring naval personnel to join the fishing fleet so as to increase the manpower available to this industry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Retired Naval Personnel.
4.
A man of the Permanent Defence Force about to be discharged may be granted special leave with pay and allowances. This provision is designed to assist personnel in seeking civilian employment. The machinery of the National Manpower Service is available in this regard and, specifically in the case of the fishery industry, training courses are provided at the National Fishery School, Greencastle, County Donegal.
Is there any direct approach by notice or otherwise to attract such people into the fishery industry?
As I have pointed out, special leave may be taken by those people but it is a matter for the individual himself. My own experience is that those people who retire from the sea like to go into a new occupation; they do not like to go back to the sea. I know that from personal experience of people who have been living with the sea all their lives.
I take it that in the context of enlarging the fishing industry, which is expected to double its catch within the next few years, there is no need to make this approach?
This is a matter for the individual. The Deputy has a question to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries on this subject on today's Order Paper and it is more relevant to that Department than it is to mine.