Brendan Smith
Question:19 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine the total funding that will be provided for the development of inland fisheries in 1995. [3943/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inland Fisheries Development.
The total amount of funding allocated under subhead J of the Department of the Marine Vote to inland fisheries in 1995 is £10.64 million.
An amount of £8.76 million of that has been allocated to finance the activities and operations of the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards and represents an increase of almost 5 per cent over the 1994 allocation. A further £340,000 has been allocated to the Foyle Fisheries Commission which is well over double the 1994 allocation.
This provision also includes Exchequer matching finance in respect of expenditure of £2.65 million in 1995 under the tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism in accordance with which almost £19 million will be invested in the upgrading of our game, coarse and sea angling to the best international standards over the period 1994 to 1999. Exchequer matching finance will also be provided in respect of proposed expenditure of £1.1 million by the fisheries boards and the Foyle Fisheries Commission under the EU surveillance package. Such expenditure will relate to patrol vessels, radio communications systems, specialised surveillance equipment and other equipment to enhance anti-poaching activities.
Some additional funding for the inland fisheries sector will also be made available under the Ireland-Northern Ireland INTERREG II Programme, details of which are being finalised at present.
Will the Minister indicate the breakdown between capital and current expenditure in the allocation to the regional fisheries boards?
I do not have the breakdown of those figures, but I will check the figures and supply them to the Deputy.
Is the Minister satisfied that the provision will be adequate to ensure that this State can draw down the maximum level of European Union funding provided for under the tourism angling plan?
I am satisfied about that. The provision in the tourism angling plan is a total of approximately £19 million over the next five to six years. I am satisfied that the provision will enable us to maximise the draw down of that funding.
Will the Minister indicate the job potential of the tourism angling plan?
I do not have an exact figure on that, but there is considerable job potential in the inland fisheries and angling area. In the next few weeks I intend to announce details of projects which will be approved under the tourism angling measure for 1995.
(Wexford): Is the Minister satisfied that the fisheries boards will have adequate funds this year for river protection? Every year there seems to be major criticism within the boards, particularly by people operating on the rivers, that poaching is rampant, that there is a lack of water bailiffs and that the necessary funds are not available to continue to pay the required number of water bailiffs.
The Deputy may be going beyond the bounds of the question.
There has been a significant increase this year under the EU surveillance package for the regional fisheries board. The increase on the 1994 out-turn is from £263,000 to £481,000 in 1995, an increase of 83 per cent.