asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will outline the purpose of his recent visit to County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Visit.
16.
The purpose of my visit to County Donegal on Friday and Saturday, 9 and 10 May 1980, was to attend a dinner dance in the Malin Hotel.
I took advantage of my trip to the area to visit a number of fishing ports on the Inishowen peninsula and Bord Iascaigh Mhara's National Fishery Training Centre at Greencastle.
Was it a fisheries dinner dance which the Minister attended?
That does not arise.
It was a Fianna Fáil dinner dance which was quite enjoyable, but the very large crowd there made it difficult to dance.
Question No. 17.
Just a minute.
The Chair is running Question Time, not Deputy Harte.
What interest has the Minister expressed in the Lough Foyle salmon fishing industry? Did he visit Greencastle harbour?
I visited Greencastle pier, Culdaff, Bunagee, Glengad, Malin Head and Leenane.
Question No. 17.
I want to ask the Minister about his visit to Donegal.
The Deputy is being obstructive. I have called Question No. 17.
I resent that remark. Why do you not go and join them? Take off your cloak and sit beside them.
Deputy Harte will withdraw the charge against the Chair.
If it offends you I will do so. I want to ask the Minister a further supplementary and the Chair will not allow me.
The Deputy has already asked four supplementary questions.
Why did the Minister not consult the fishermen who operate in the Foyle Estuary? Has he any interest in these fishermen?
I have every interest in the Foyle fishermen and there is a representative in our Department dealing specifically with this matter. Had I visited the Foyle fishery I have no doubt the Deputy would have asked me why I did not find time to visit Greencastle. I will visit Donegal whenever I feel like it and in my own time I will deal as I see fit with matters arising in my Department.
Would the Minister——
I have called Question No. 17.
Did the Minister visit the headquarters of the Foyle Fishery Commission in Derry city?
I did not.
Why not? Because the Minister is a partitionist Minister——
I would ask the Minister to answer Question No. 17.
It is a disgrace that the Minister did not have the courtesy to visit the fishermen when he went to Donegal for a Fianna Fáil dinner dance. The Minister is more interested in dinner dances than in jobs for the fishermen.
The more the Deputy speaks the less is my opinion of him.
If Deputy Harte does not conduct himself I shall have to ask him to leave the House.
It is disgraceful that the Minister had time to go to a Fianna Fáil dinner dance but did not have time to meet the Foyle fishermen——
The Chair is asking Deputy Harte to resume his seat and to remain quiet or else to leave the House.
I have made my protest. It is disgraceful that the Minister had not the decency to visit the Foyle Fishery Commission in Derry when he was in Donegal for a Fianna Fáil dinner dance.
Will Deputy Harte please allow Questions to continue? I have called Question No. 17.
The next time the Minister should do the job right.
He always does his job right. I represent fishermen and I am glad to have him Minister for Fisheries.
The Deputy must not have listened to the answers the Minister gave.
The Minister is not interested in Donegal fishermen.
The Deputy will get a heart attack or a stroke if he continues in this way.
It is not I who will get the heart attack.
I am calling Question No. 17.