asked the Minister for the Marine the cost to the Exchequer of having bailiffs on patrol on Lough Corrib and Lough Mask since the beginning of March 1988 with the exception of Easter weekend; and the cost of running and maintaining the three power boats, dinghies and the personnel to manage them during the same period.
Written Answers. - Cost of Lake Patrols.
21.
First, let me make it clear that there are no bailiffs employed by fisheries boards and that I take exception to the use of this term to describe public servants who have been engaged by boards to carry out the duties given to boards under laws enacted by the Oireachtas. The staff of fisheries boards undertake extremely valuable work in relation to the conservation, protection and development of fisheries and they must be supported by all in this work.
In this question I am asked to provide specific information for a specific period for aspects of operations which are carried out as an integral part of the main ongoing services provided by boards and the costs of which are not easily identified without diverting the boards' staff from carrying out their priority tasks. In these circumstances I do not think that it would be reasonable for me to ask boards for operational details of the type sought by the Deputy.
I would point out to the Deputy that fisheries boards are funded by means of a block Exchequer allocation which is supplemented by revenue obtained by the boards from their own sources. It is estimated that the Exchequer grant will amount to about 75 per cent of the boards' total income. It is a matter for each board to determine how available resources are used in attending to their statutory functions. No additional cost will directly arise for the Exchequer from the activities referred to by the Deputy as these will be met from within existing allocations.