Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Mar 1994

Vol. 439 No. 5

Written Answers. - Western Fisheries Board Allocation.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

109 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine if an extra grant will be allocated to the Western Fisheries Board for fishery board field staff in view of the fact that the number employed by the Western Fisheries Board for this work has been reduced; the grant made available to the Western Fisheries Board in 1994 compared to the grant in the years 1992 and 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Andrews)

The proposed distribution of the 1994 Exchequer Grant for the Western Regional Fisheries Board takes account of the pay and non pay costs associated with the additional field-administrative staff allocated to that board.

The proposed 1994 grant to the Western Regional Fisheries Board is £1,016,000. This represents an increase of £211,000 or 26.2 per cent over the 1992 allocation and an increase of £199,000 or 24 per cent over the 1993 allocation.

Additional funds, totalling £1.5 million and £526,000 respectively, are available to the Regional Fisheries Boards under the EU Angling Tourism Operational Programme and the EU Fisheries Surveillance Programme. The Western Regional Fisheries Board may submit projects for aid under these programmes.