Vol. 423 No. 4
10 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the names of the individuals who comprise the National Heritage Council; the organisations that they represent; if he has satisfied himself as to the competence of the Council to deal with all aspects of its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The members of the National Heritage Council, who are also members of the Wildlife Advisory Council are:
Lord Killanin (Chairman), Antiquarian
Mr. Eamon de Buitléar, Naturalist, wildlife film maker
Dr. Maurice Craig, Architectural historian
Ms. Teresa Curley, Teacher
Mr. Austin Dunphy, Architect
Prof. George Eogan, Archaeologist
Ms. Anne Farrell, Farmer
Mr. James Joyce, Teacher
Mr. Liam McGarry, Wildlife specialist, member Irish Deer Society
Ms. Patricia McLister, IDA executive
Prof. Maire Mulcahy, Zoologist
Mr. Michael O'Callaghan, Hotelier
Fr. Tomás Ó Caoimh, Teacher
Dr. Ann Quinn, Botanist, member of An Bord Pleanála
Mr. Paschal Scanlan, Former chairman, Office of Public Works
Professor Peter Woodman, Archaeologist
The National Heritage Council are not a representative organisation. Each member is appointed on the basis of his or her own expertise. In some cases this will entail membership of certain organisations but they do not represent these organisations on the National Heritage Council.
I am entirely satisfied that the Council are fully competent to deal with all aspects of their remit.
Is it not true that the Wildlife Advisory Council are a statutory body? Under section 13 of the Wildlife Act, 1976, the Minister must, by order, appoint a wildlife advisory council, but, since 1987, he has failed in his statutory duty to appoint such a council.
Because the National Association of Regional Game Councils sought a judicial review of the matter the Minister decided to withdraw the invitation to them to participate in the committee. There seems to be bad blood between the Minister and the NARGC. There should be round table discussions to get this vital body operating as soon as possible.
The Deputy has not the correct facts. When I was re-appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for wildlife by the Taoiseach and the Government last February there was no wildlife advisory council in office. I had several consultations and meetings with the National Association of Regional Game Councils. I made a specific offer to a member of that association and I made a general offer to all the members of that body. The individual offer was not accepted, the general offer was initially accepted and later withdrawn. I proceeded to appoint the Wildlife Advisory Council, as is my statutory function under section 13 (7) of the Act, and I am satisfied that I was correct in doing so. The matter is now sub judice and I have nothing further to add.
Let us not forget the sub judice aspect of the matter.
Is it not a fact that at a meeting on 11 March between the NARGC and the Minister, that association agreed to postpone the judicial review? On 3 July, four months later, when nothing had been done they decided to re-enter their case and the Minister issued a letter to them in which he effectively booted them from the board. He proceeded to set up a NARGC, made up of a hotch-potch of basically heritage people who in most cases know nothing whatever about the remit of the NARGC. There are 21,685 members in this association who contribute £500,000 by way of revenue in gun licences.
I totally reject what Deputy Higgins has said. The members of the National Heritage Council are esteemed people in their various professions and contributors to public affairs. The Wildlife Advisory Council are not made up of a hotch-potch of any group of individuals; they are very fine people. Section 13 (7) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 states:
The members of the Council shall be appointed by the Minister and shall include such number of persons, by reason of their knowledge or experience of, or interest in, agriculture, fisheries, field sports, the conservation of wildlife or some other science, as he considers will ensure that the Council will assist materially in the furtherance of wildlife conservation.
I am satisfied that I have fulfilled all aspects of that subsection. I do not know how the Deputy knows what went on at meetings between myself and the National Association of Regional Game Councils in either March or July. Legal action was initiated by the NARGC before I was appointed to office. On my suggestion at their March meeting the NARGC agreed to postpone action. However, they were not prepared to give me sufficient time to conclude my work and therefore I took my decision.
Does the Minister seriously contend that hoteliers, teachers, county councillors and archaeologists are the people who should make decisions in relation to the wildlife interests of this country? For four months in succession the NARGC rang the Minister's office on a weekly basis and were told time and again, "We know nothing about it".
There is no county councillor on the National Wildlife Advisory Council or on the National Heritage Council.
Mr. Joyce is a county councillor.
He is not a county councillor.
He is a former councillor.
He is a man with two degrees. He is a professional teacher who has made a massive contribution in the area of heritage and he is competent to sit on the council. He will make an excellent contribution to it.
Is he an ex-councillor?
Another quango.
