asked the Minister for the Marine the extent to which financial cutbacks are preventing the fisheries boards and their staff from carrying out their statutory responsibilities in accordance with the Fishery Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fisheries Board Cutbacks.
7.
I am satisfied that the fisheries boards and their staff are doing their utmost to carry out their statutory responsibilities within the resources which have been allocated to them but like all public agencies they have to exercise financial restraints having regard to the general curbs on public expenditure.
Does the Minister seriously expect us to accept or does he accept that the fisheries boards are carrying out their statutory functions to any extent in the areas of conservation in particular, protection and development of inland fisheries and sea angling up to the 12-mile limit?
I can appreciate that all of us are concerned because of the cutbacks, in particular with regard to the Central Fisheries Board. We allocate money to the Central Fisheries Board and it is a matter for them to allocate money to each regional board. However, I accept there is a shortfall in last year's allocation to the board of £5.022 million and it has been reduced by £209,000 this year. The bulk of that reduction had already been imposed by the previous Government.
I accept there have been restrictions generally in all these areas but a further restriction in this area has effectively made the fisheries boards totally impotent. Does the Minister accept that or has he plans to rationalise the boards generally? We have reached a stage when there is no point in having fisheries boards as they are now structured because they can literally drive to the river bank and catch the odd illegal rod angler who may or may not have caught a salmon but they cannot prosecute him because of the cost of bringing the case to court. Is this a window-dressing exercise or are we serious in relation to the job we have asked the fisheries boards to do? Will we now tell them: "We cannot afford you any longer" and therefore the poacher and the pirate can do what he likes?
The functions of the regional fisheries boards are, as the Deputy outlined, to conserve, protect, develop and manage inland fisheries. They have a vitally important role to play and they have a statutory obligation in this regard. I realise that the financial cutbacks have some effect. However, we met with two representatives of the fisheries boards and with all the managers and we have impressed upon them the necessity to carry out these functions within the constraints.
I would also like to point out to the Deputy that the cutbacks imposed by the previous Government and those imposed by our Government are very similar. I appreciate there is a difficulty with regard to the contracting of finance and we must consider, in conjunction with the regional boards, other methods of financing in addition to the finance allocated from the Exchequer. This must be done before next year.
Is the Minister satisfied that the fisheries boards and their officers have the finance to pursue conservation other than perhaps by patrolling the banks of rivers for the illegal rod angler, the small man as it were? Is he satisfied that up to the 12-mile limit the job is being done as statutorily laid down? He is probably aware that 5 per cent of fishermen catch over 85 per cent of the salmon illegally. All our resources should not be concentrated on the chap on the river bank with the rod, even though he is breaking the law and deserves to be brought within it, or on the estuary people alone. The law should be applied to everyone equally, particularly the bigger fishermen who are having a heyday at present because they are aware that the fisheries boards have not the resources to see what they are up to.
I would have thought that a responsible spokesperson on marine affairs would take this opportunity to suggest that there should be co-operation on all sides. I have taken that opportunity and I will take it again. Due to the constraints there should be co-operation between the Department, the regional boards and the fishermen, whether they be inland or deep sea fishermen. I outlined earlier that I met with the Northern Regional Fisheries Board, the Minister met the Shannon Fisheries Board and we intend meeting the other boards within the very near future. We met all the managers of the boards and in turn I asked officials of my Department to meet them to ensure that they are in a position to carry out their functions. We will do our utmost in this regard.
My question was not answered.
I have given Deputy Doyle a lot of latitude on this question.
My question was not answered.
I have no control over that.
I am concerned with control of the 12-mile limit and whether there were any resources made available ——
The Chair has no control over answers.
The Minister avoided the question.
I did not avoid the question. It is a matter for the regional boards and it is their statutory function to carry out that work. It is not necessary for me to ask the regional fisheries boards to carry out their functions because they know what they are and they are responsible boards with responsible managers. I have every reason to believe they will carry out their functions and ensure that all the waters are patrolled and that they will pursue any court cases that arise.
Have they the financial resources to do so?
Deputy Cullen, a very brief question, please.
I do not doubt that the——
A question, please, Deputy Cullen.
I will get to the question. I do not doubt that the fisheries boards are carrying out their duties to the best of their ability. Does the Minister not agree that they do not have the resources to carry out their duties? It is laughable to suggest that they are capable of doing so with the resources available to them. The fisheries boards are now irrelevant. If the Minister is serious about this whole area, he should instruct his Department, in conjunction with the fisheries board, to make available the necessary resources so that we can——
This is developing into repetitious debate.
Will the Minister not agree that the inland fishing industry is in jeopardy because of the lack of resources to the fisheries boards.
The reduction imposed by this Government was in the region of £50,000. All other reductions were imposed by the outgoing Government. I, in my capacity as Minister of State at this Department, will give full support to the regional fisheries boards. In an age of financial rectitude we must consider other means of funding and I will have discussions with the boards at local level.
The national lottery.
I would have thought the Deputy would have suggestions.
Perhaps we will dip into the national lottery again.