Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 8

Written Answers. - Central Fisheries Board.

Gerry O'Sullivan

Question:

67 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Marine his views on whether the Central Fisheries Board should (1) act in a co-ordinating and supervisory capacity for the Regional Fishery Boards and (2) be responsible for (a) the training of personnel; (b) the purchase of boats, equipment and clothing and (3) in a consultative capacity for all the boards, as recommended in the Ballycotton Tribunal report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Gerry O'Sullivan

Question:

69 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Marine if he intends to amend the Fisheries Act, 1980 by inserting the word "shall" for "may" in section 8 (1) (e) (i) as recommended in the Ballycotton Tribunal report; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Gerry O'Sullivan

Question:

71 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Marine if, having regard to the recommendation of the Ballycotton Tribunal report that a deputy manager be appointed in each fishery board area, he will instruct that this recommendation be implemented; and if he will make the necessary finance available for this appointment to be made.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Wilson)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 69 and 71 together.

I agree generally with the recommendations of the inquiry into the Ballycotton tragedy on the appropriate role for the Central Fisheries Board. In this regard I would advise the Deputy that under section 8 (1) (a) (i) of the Fisheries Act, 1980 it is a function of the Central Fisheries Board to co-ordinate, and if necessary, direct the performance by the regional fisheries boards of the functions assigned to them under the Act.

In some areas such as training, purchase of certain boats and so on the Central Fisheries Board have always played some role and they are now stepping up this role in the light of the recommendations of the inquiry.

With regard to the training of fisheries boards' staff and the purchase of equipment I wish to advise that the Central Fisheries Board earlier this year engaged the services of an expert from the Robert Gordon Institute of Technology — RGIT — Scotland, to review the operations of the fisheries boards, primarily in relation to safety, and to assist in the co-ordination of training and the purchase of equipment. As a result, a considerable amount of progress has been made in putting the operations of the various boards on a safer footing and in ensuring that their staffs are adequately trained and properly equipped to carry out the tasks expected of them.

The Central Fisheries Board are, of course, always available to the regional fisheries boards to offer advice and assistance on a large number of issues.

If we turn to the question of the appointment of an additional executive head to staff in each board area, the desirability of such posts has been recognised for many years but it was not possible due to general financial and staffing constraints to secure approval for the creation and filling of the posts. I am pursuing as a matter of high priority all possibilities for the approval of the posts concerned at the earliest possible date.

As regards the suggested amendment of section 8 (1) (e) (i) of the Fisheries Act, 1980, I have noted the views of the inquiry. As I understand it, the aim the inquiry had in mind was that the central board would be required by law to provide training services. Such a formulation would, I believe, be highly unusual in legislation of this type. The key aim should in my view be to ensure that the Central Fisheries Board give due priority to the provision of training services and especially so in so far as safety matters are concerned. I will be pursuing this matter on an ongoing basis.