Vol. 404 No. 7
125 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that two staff members of the Eastern fisheries protection staff in the Dundalk region have been paid off; the way in which it is proposed to provide a proper service with the prospect of such reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I would refer the Deputy to the answer I gave in the House on Wednesday, 12 December on the subject of the staffing of the fishery boards.
In that answer I pointed out that the staffing levels of all the fishery boards have fallen significantly in recent years due to general restrictions on recruitment.
I added however, that it would, in present financial circumstances, be totally unrealistic to expect that there would be any general relaxation of these restrictions or any general increase in the staffing of the fishery boards.
I nevertheless stated that I was very conscious of the need to maintain a balance in the staffing of the boards and to ensure that a limited number of priority posts were filled. I also mentioned that I have ordered my Department to carry out an assessment of all the boards. I would not comment on any individual cases until such time as the assessment has been completed and I had had the chance to study it.
I have now received that assessment which includes a review of the position of the Dundalk area and am pursuing the matter further. As of now, however, no decision has been taken.
