asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the reason a Galway-based trawler was not hired by his Department to facilitate the taking of a herring survey off the Galway coast recently.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - Herring Survey.
5.
The survey referred to is part of a series of scientific investigations of herring stocks off the west and northwest coasts. Tenders for boat hire in connection therewith were received from six trawler owners of whom four were based in County Galway. The successful tender which was submitted by a skipper from another county was considered the most suitable not only from the point of view of price but also having regard to such relevant factors as the size and horsepower of the vessel, its suitability, efficiency and experience for the survey work in question.
When surveys of this kind are being undertaken in the future, would the Minister invite tenders from the trawler owners in the area where such survey is to be carried out? I am sure the Minister will agree that it is galling for fishermen in Galway to see fishing trawlers coming in from other areas to carry out surveys in their traditional, local fishing grounds, and it has caused quite an amount of resentment among them. Would the Minister state if the invitation to tender was open to all trawler owners around the country? Furthermore, will he state what were the tenders submitted to his Department and what was the difference between the best tender from a Galway trawler owner and whatever trawler owner was actually granted the contract?
I would accept the Deputy's view in relation to the galling experience of skippers if that were a fact but I think he is under some misapprehension because the survey area goes far beyond the boundaries of the Galway coast. It takes in from the Shannon Estuary to Greencastle, the whole of the north west area, which covers the Clare coast, Galway coast, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, so the area is fairly broad.
In relation to the factors to be considered in the acceptance of a tender, for example, they include living accommodation on board, the size of boat, that is that it is sufficiently big for the job, the existence of a shelter deck on board, the calibre and capability of personnel on board, including the skipper. All of these matters are taken into consideration. The successful skipper in this case was engaged because it was felt he met the requirements I have broadly outlined and the factors necessary for the carrying out of the job.
Is the Minister saying that none of the four County Galway trawler owners who submitted tenders complied with any of the criteria the Minister has set out? Is the Minister saying that the successful tender was the cheapest?
The Deputy will realise that we cannot go into names here. All I can say is that the tender——
The Minister could give the name of the boat.
All I can say is that the successful tender was not the cheapest of the six submitted.
This is the kernel of the whole matter. Is the Minister aware of the anger felt by Galway fishermen at the decision taken by his Department in this matter in that they feel that, in these surveys, they are being continually overlooked, that there is no occasion when the Galway trawlers are utilised for this work? If there is some work of that nature to be done in the future, in an area in which the Galway trawlers traditionally fish — that would be from the Shannon Estuary up to the Mayo coast — would the Minister agree that it should be Galway trawlers that are used? If the tender awarded was not awarded to the person who submitted the cheapest tender why then did the Minister and the Department decide not to award it to the cheapest? Can he justify that decision to the House?
I can, on the basis of the factors I have just mentioned. In fact the tender accepted was in relation to a larger boat with facilities which were felt to be necessary by the people dealing with this tender. The Minister did not deal with the tender; I can assure the Deputy of that. All of these requirements and factors — size of boat, shelter on deck and so on — were taken into consideration in recommending the appointment of the person who was appointed. By the way experience enters in also, because I understand that the successful applicant had previously done this work satisfactorily on behalf of the Department. That does not imply that in future other people who have not done such work will be excluded.
The opinion is abroad in Galway that one must be a pal of Joey Murrin to get any of these survey tenders accepted. Is it not time that the Minister took some action to dispel the notion in the fishermen's minds that there is political work going on in the allocation of these tenders especially when we hear now that the person whose tender was accepted on this occasion had not submitted the cheapest and most advantageous one from the point of view of the Department?
I was waiting for that from Deputy Molloy. I refute categorically any suggestion——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy Molloy will not stand up and make that kind of suggestion without hearing some of the facts of life.
I am the voice of the fishermen.
Deputy Molloy will not get away with misleading——
(Interruptions.)
Please have some respect for the House.
Their halos are slipping around their ears.
Deputy Molloy will not get away with erroneous implications. I can absolutely stand over the appointment made. I had nothing to do with it. I have said that this skipper did work for the Department long before Mr. Murrin came on the scene as chairman of BIM. The Deputy can forget about the erroneous implications in his question.
(Interruptions.)
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment to subject matter of questions Nos. 256, 257 and 258 dealing with the serious drug problems in the city and county of Dublin and the Borough of Dún Laoghaire.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Andrews.
I put down a Private Notice Question to the Minister for Energy in respect of the dispute at the Bord na Móna briquette factory which has curtailed the supply of briquettes and caused great hardship in many parts of the country.
Deputy Connolly is aware that the question has been disallowed by the Ceann Comhairle, and the private secretary to the Ceann Comhairle has indicated the reasons for disallowing it. If he wishes to discuss the matter he will have to call to the Ceann Comhairle. He is well aware that the question has already been disallowed.
I cannot understand that ruling in view of the fact that it is the middle of winter and people are going through great hardship.
The reasons for disallowing this question have already been conveyed to you by the Ceann Comhairle's private secretary. It is your entitlement to contact the Ceann Comhairle if you wish to discuss the matter further. The question has been disallowed.
I want to bring it to your notice because it is affecting your own area. You must know what the situation is.
You are being disorderly, Deputy, please resume your seat.
I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Chair will communicate with Deputy Connolly.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the impending strike by several hundred customs officials on Friday. This could have disastrous effects for the country, particularly the Border counties.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I want to give notice that I wish to raise on the Adjournment the procedures in the IDA for dealing with representations from Deputies regarding factories in difficulties.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.