Vol. 516 No. 4
1 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has to improve the poor relationship between his Department and the sea fishing industry as highlighted in the Strategic Management Initiative report. [8334/00]
I have asked the Secretary General of my Department to have a comprehensive response to the committee's report prepared by the end of June. I look forward to receiving that response, putting it into the public domain and coming forward with an implementation plan.
The committee pulled no punches in its analysis and conclusions and it is up to management now to respond in a constructive and positive fashion. If the committee has got it wrong in some respects, I have asked management to spell this out so the debate can move forward.
The committee, Ministers and the Department share one common objective – to serve the customer, in this case the fishing industry, better. I wish to put on record the commitment and dedication of the staff of our sea fisheries divisions who work long and hard on behalf of the sector and far beyond the call of duty. In this context, the level of service to the sector in some respects has improved substantially in recent years. When the committee first met the Department in 1998 there was a major backlog in dealing with licence applications. This backlog was eliminated in 1999 and applications are now being dealt with within three weeks. However, more needs to be, and will be, done.
The committee highlighted what it termed a poor relationship between the Department and the sector. This, in my view, would be better described as a communications deficit with local groups and the individual fisherman. The committee has acknowledged that, with existing resources and staff levels, filling this deficit poses major challenges for the Department. These challenges must be faced.
It also poses major challenges for the national fishing industry organisations. There is a close working relationship at national level between the Department and the fishing industry and the industry is given every opportunity to input into policy making and EU and international negotiations. However, the Department cannot be expected to compensate for fragmentation in the structure of industry representation at national level or weaknesses in the communications process within the industry itself. I have asked management to consider this aspect in its response to the committee's report.
I compliment the Strategic Management Initiative committee on this report. The findings do not surprise me. Indeed, I raised this with the former Minister, Deputy Woods, and pointed out the lack of response from officials when I wrote to them on various matters. I asked him to do something about it.
Is it not a shocking indictment of the service that it is widely accepted that if one leaves a message with the Department it is virtually guaranteed that nobody will ring back? Is there not something wrong with the number of forms, approximately 930, used by the Department? Many of the forms are outdated and incomprehensible. I am also concerned that the fleet and fishermen suffered as a result of being penalised on foot of regulations about which they had not been made aware. If staffing resources are an issue, it is incumbent on the Department to be more professional and customer friendly by providing the staff.
One observation in the report was that the Department was too centralised in Dublin. Will the Minister of State comment on that aspect of the report in the context of decentralisation?
The committee recommends relocation nearer to the Department's client base. However, the client base in the sea fisheries sector is dispersed around the coast. The Deputy will be aware that there are 30 organisations representing diverse sectoral and regional interests. I will not list them here but that makes the situation a little more difficult.
Decentralisation is recommended and it will be considered. All aspects of the report will be considered to ensure the Department can provide a better service to an industry with tremendous potential. Nobody is so good that they cannot be better. We have already asked that the Department reach a point where callers will be more inclined to remark on how good it was to talk to our officials. That is preferable to the disappointing attitude that is generally held with regard to civil servants. All of us have a role to play in this regard. Customer friendly relationships will be built up within the Department.
The Deputy mentioned the number of forms in the Department. They are being examined at present and if they are outdated they should be removed. The problem of telephone calls not receiving a response deserves attention. Management in the Department has been asked to look at all aspects of the report.
This report relates to the fisheries sector. In the context of the principles of subsidiarity and decentralisation, when will the Minister devolve more powers to the five fishery harbours around the country and to Dingle, which has been included in that group?
I cannot indicate when it will happen. It is on the agenda. We want to improve the system. We are anxious to leave office, be it 20 years hence, with a good record.
Wishful thinking.
