asked the Minister for the Marine when it is intended to establish the Marine Research Institute which was promised in the Programme for National Recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Marine Research Institute.
6.
I intend to have a marine institute established as soon as possible. However, in order that the institute be set up on a firm statutory basis, legislation is required. The heads for this legislation have been approved by the Government, and the process of preparing the legislation is currently being undertaken, on an urgent basis, by the parliamentary draftsman, in consultation with my Department. When the legislation has been passed by this House, the institute will be established without delay.
In the Programme for National Recovery published a year and five months ago the Minister indicated that a marine research institute would shortly be established and would have the important function of assisting in the development of the fishing industry. Would the Minister agree that the delay to date is inexcusable?
There has been no undue delay. The legislation has to be prepared. Many issues have to be taken into account. There are various institutes already in operation and the responsibility of the institute would be to co-ordinate the activities of the existing agencies involved in fisheries and maritime research and to identify new areas for research, exploration and development. There has been no undue delay on our part in pressing ahead with the necessary legislation. It takes time to get it before the House and it will be before the House as soon as possible.
I take it the Minister was well advised when he inserted the word "shortly" in the programme in 1987. Could the Minister highlight the thinking in his Department on the major functions of the institute once established? For example, will it deal with the licensing and decommissioning of trawlers and the concept of onshore job creation such as fish processing? What other areas does the Minister envisage the institute dealing with?
The Deputy is going into detail now, probably deserving of specific questions.
As I indicated in my first reply, the responsibility of the institute would be to co-ordinate the existing research which is being carried out by various agencies and organisations such as the Fisheries Research Centre in Abbotstown, the Salmon Research Trust, the Shellfish Research Laboratory in Carna, the Central and Regional Fisheries Research Divisions, the Hydraulics Laboratory part of UCC and the former Marine Division of Industry and Commerce which now is under the National Board for Science and Technology. As the Deputy is aware, the Marine Department recently took over the research vessel. The main activities of the research institute will be practical involvement in identifying opportunities in the marine area dealing with all aspects of the marine economy and organising and utilising the resources we have in the marine environment.
Does the Minister think that this institute is likely to be up and running within the coming year? Has he made provision for it in his Department's budgetary allowance?
It is our priority to get the legislation before the House. We expect to have it before the House this year. Not only have we existing resources in the areas I mentioned already but we have also undertaken discussion with the EC Commission with a view to getting European funding for the type of institute we have in mind. There has been no undue delay on our part in getting the institute up and running but in the meantime we should not abandon the fisheries research work we are engaged in.
Will the Minister indicate to the House where he intends to locate the new institute? Is he in a position to allay fears that exist among many of the people concerned in the marine area, particularly in the universities, who feel that the institute that will be established will be an institute in name only, will have very little power and will be very restricted?
I am surprised the Deputy has witnessed anxiety on the part of the people involved in this area. The general understanding throughout the whole marine area is that it is an area that has been relatively under-developed, under-exploited and under-utilised. Rather than reservations being expressed about the capacity of the institute I find there is broad support and welcome for the whole idea.
We thought in October 1987 that it would be shortly established and we wonder why that has not happened.
There are two ways in which the institute could have been established, one of which is on an interim basis pending the enactment of legislation. It is my view that it should be set up on a proper statutory basis under legislation so that this House would have an opportunity to have an input into how it is developed. If I set it up any other way I would be criticised here for not giving the House an opportunity to discuss the matter.
Where will it be located? Will it be in Galway?
That has been already clearly identified.
In the terminal building?
Quite an amount of fisheries and maritime research has been undertaken in the west generally. It is an area that is ideally suited for this institute.