asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the amount of finance Bord Iascaigh Mhara and his Department will spend on stands for the 1981 boat show.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Boat Show Expenditure.
37.
I presume what the Deputy has in mind is the Irish International Boat Show and Fisheries Exhibition to be held in the RDS in March (3-8) 1981.
The total amount which will be spent on stands for the 1981 Boat Show and Fisheries Exhibition by Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Department of Fisheries will be in the region of £12,000.
Can the Minister give any further information about how much money was spent by BIM? Is he satisfied that this money is being spent wisely?
I am satisfied that the money is being spent wisely. It is important that we display our wares. The total amount spent by the board was £5,850 and the Department have taken a space at a cost of £3,200.
Is the Minister aware that on this BIM stand we had three very capable ladies sitting there doing absolutely nothing? Those people should have been giving fishing demonstrations to the public and doing something in relation to marketing our fish. Will the Minister not agree that this £5,850 was a complete waste? Surely at a fishery exhibition the object should have been to promote Irish fish, which was not done?