Vol. 417 No. 9
131 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the number of staff involved in the development of the North Shannon Region which is part of the Shannon Regional Board area; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the nearest protection staff reside in Mullingar, 65 miles away.
132 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the lack of personnel for fishery protection in the County Louth area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
133 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for the Marine if he will give details per county of all fisheries protection staff employed in the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 132 and 133 together.
I am aware that the staffing levels of all the fishery boards have fallen significantly in recent years due to general restrictions on recruitment and to the take-up by board staff of the early retirement scheme.
In present financial circumstances it would be 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 am nevertheless conscious of the need to maintain a balance in the staffing of the boards and to ensure that a number of priority posts are filled.
My Department has carried out an assessment of the staffing needs of the fisheries boards and I am endeavouring to secure the filling of priority posts, including posts in the Dundalk District which covers County Louth, and in the Upper Shannon Region at the earliest possible date.
The organisation and deployment of fisheries boards' staff is a matter for the boards themselves.
