asked the Minister for Fisheries (a) why the chairman and chief executive of An Bord Iascaigh Mhara has been absent from duty for some three months, serving in a foreign State; (b) if he or the board members of An Bord Iascaigh Mhara know at this stage if the chairman and chief executive is considering taking up an appointment in another foreign State; and (c) if all the expenses connected with his trip to a foreign land and salary are being borne out of the grant-in-aid of £3,103,000 approved in 1978.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
17.
At the request of the Tasmanian Government the Board of An Bord Iascaigh Mhara with my approval agreed to the secondment for a three-month period of the chairman and chief executive of the board to undertake a specific project in Tasmania on behalf of the Tasmanian Government. He has now resumed his duties with An Bord Iascaigh Mhara and I am not aware that he is considering taking up another position. His salary for the period of his absence and expenses connected with his visit to Tasmania are not being borne by the grant-in-aid approved for the board for 1978.
Would not the person in question be much better employed at home advising the Minister on the fishery negotiations than advising in a country so far away?
Our fishery negotiations have very little to do with the functions of An Bord Iascaigh Mhara which is a development agency. As the Minister responsible to the House I am concerned with fishery negotiations. These are two separate areas.
He was advising in the other country.