Vol. 488 No. 7
80 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will accede to the request for a meeting with the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland to discuss the welfare of Loughs Corrib, Mask and Cara. [7608/98]
81 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will meet with the Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland (details supplied) in view of the fact that he has not met its requests for a meeting previously. [6900/98]
82 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the number of people employed under the Corrib system development plan; and the number who will be made redundant in the near future. [6901/98]
83 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the reason the funding of £1.6 million for the continuation of the Corrib system development plan is not forthcoming; and the reason young people who gained employment under this EU funded project are now faced with redundancy. [6902/98]
84 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the reason for the cutback in angling tourism grants towards the development of the great western lakes; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that protective notice has been given to 20 workers by the Western Regional Fisheries Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7036/98]
85 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if the pike culling policy on the Corrib and Mask lakes has ended; if so, the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7037/98]
86 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if grant aid towards the Western Regional Fisheries Board for the development of the great western lakes can be funded from the Exchequer rather than EU grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7038/98]
89 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the objectives of the grant-aid of £1.2 million given to the Western Regional Fisheries Board under the Tourism Operational Programme for angling in the west. [7304/98]
90 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the amount of money spent on advertising by the Western Regional Fisheries Board in 1996 attracting anglers to the great western lakes; and the number of bookings the board received in 1997 as a result of its advertising. [7305/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 to 86 inclusive, and 89 and 90 together.
The project in question has been receiving ongoing funding under the tourism angling measure, TAM, since early 1995 to date, with the important objective of rehabilitating the Corrib, Mask and Cara lakes as prime brown trout fisheries for domestic and tourism angling. An application for additional funding for a further phase of development in 1998 has been submitted to the management committee of the TAM, which is chaired by the Central Fisheries Board and represents the relevant interests. The committee is evaluating all projects in the context of a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the measure as a whole. This review is essential at this stage of the programme to ensure TAM expenditure is delivering on set objectives, to assess financial outturns and planned expenditure, the nature and regional spread of projects which are being funded and the application of enhanced criteria in relation to the tourism impacts of individual projects. I understand the management committee will take decisions on all projects in hand early next month.
