Vol. 511 No. 5
11 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the status of the proposals for local fishery harbour management boards, in view of the fact submissions were received by his Department before 30 September 1998. [24663/99]
As I have previously advised the House, I intend to develop a new management structure for the five existing fishery harbour centres and to incorporate Dingle Harbour in the new arrangements. Day-to-day management of the centres will be removed from my Department, in line with the principles of subsidiarity, to promote greater local involvement and initiative and to facilitate a more commercial approach to delivering services at local level.
The new management system will be the most significant development in the administration of the fishery harbour centres since the enactment of the Fishery Harbour Centres Act, 1968. It will be firmly based on local involvement through boards which will have an input on all issues affecting maintenance and development of their harbours. Mechanisms for appropriate levels of co-ordination between the harbours will also be put in place to ensure a consistent overall national response to fishery harbour development requirements.
The proposed new management arrangements are being drawn up by my Department at present, taking account of submissions from interested parties. I attach considerable importance to his initiative and I have directed my Department to finalise the new measures and any proposals for necessary legislative or administrative change as a priority with a view to their submission to Government as soon as possible.
The submissions were received in September 1998, which is over a year ago. When is the Minister likely to announce the setting up of local harbour management boards?
I feel a little like the Taoiseach on the Order of Business. The proposals for legislation will go to Government as soon as possible. I will try to hurry them – I do that every so often, and I will do it again after the Deputy's reminder. There are difficulties in regard to time pressures.
