Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2006

Vol. 626 No. 6

Adjournment Debate.

Salmon Management Programmes.

Dr. Cowley

The predicament of drift net fishermen is another blow to people living in coastal communities. These are a finite number of fishermen eking out a living. They are mostly to be found along the west coast, and particularly in County Mayo. They have been treated in an unfair manner. This is something that has been in the pipeline for some time and perhaps it should have been introduced three or four years ago. These fishermen are being badly penalised because it did not happen at that time. The amount they are now getting in compensation — a once off payment that will have to do them for the rest of their lives — is dependent on their catch, and this has been reduced by 75% in the last five years.

We all know about how scarce salmon stocks are. However, this group of fishermen has been badly treated and deserves better. It is not just about the fishermen themselves, but also their families, particularly their sons who expected to continue the fishing tradition. They now have no future. What about the crews who are dependent on the licence holder? The licence holder is getting a pittance in compensation and is expected to pay his crew from that.

I do not believe that what has been proposed has been fully thought out. Farmers, for example, were more equitably treated because they were more organised. The drift net fishermen were badly organised; they trusted Government and felt it would do the right thing by them but they have been badly let down. It is not too late for the Minister of State to announce further measures to help these fishermen, their families and their crews.

This programme may not work out as well as Government thinks. There was a big loss of salmon at sea. Salmon will also return to the river of origin, and this may not necessarily be an Irish river. Drift net fishermen also catch salmon from Scotland, England and elsewhere. The Government has not given enough thought to what will happen if the increased numbers of salmon return to Irish rivers. I do not believe the Government has increased the number of fisheries board staff. I understand the number of such staff has been reduced as part of a plan to privatise and eliminate the body in the long run. That would also be a retrograde step.

What does the future hold for these men who will not be adequately compensated? Hopefully they will not engage in any form of illegality. Drift net fishermen have always respected and kept the law and, consequently, their catches were lower. By only fishing when they were permitted to do so, their catches were reduced and they are now paying for that.

In the north east of England, fishermen were given £70,000 sterling a number of years ago in a buy out in the interests of salmon conservation, and £110,000 sterling is now reported to have been offered to those remaining. Approximately €2,000 has been offered to our 850 drift net fishermen for a similar buy-out, with €23 euro per salmon caught in the last five years even though a quota reduction of 75% was already operating. No provision has been made for the drift net crews, nor has any other option been considered for them. Considering the devastating effect on those men and their families in rural areas for the rest of their lives, this does not seem equitable. They have no option for satisfaction in the event of resurgence in salmon stock. Is the Minister of State considering any other options to help drift net fishermen, their crews and families?

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Browne)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am not in a position to comment on the specifics of the scheme introduced by the UK in 2003, nor am I privy to the arguments or methods used in their deliberations. As far as I am aware, a much smaller number of licences were involved and it may be the case that average catches per licence were significant. It must also be borne in mind that the UK licensing regime is different from that in operation in Ireland.

In March of this year the Government made a commitment to aligning management of the wild salmon fishery with the scientific advice for 2007. The Government's primary motivation in committing to align with the scientific advice is that of conservation of the wild salmon species. The salmon has long been regarded as one of Ireland's most prized fish, instilled in our traditional mythology as the bradán feasa, the salmon of knowledge, and valued as a cultural, recreational and economic resource.

Expert scientific advice shows that one third to one half of the salmon numbers returning to rivers in the 1970s and 1980s are currently returning to Irish rivers. In this regard, it is vital to afford every protection to the remaining stocks and to clearly prioritise conservation over catch. The current imperative must be to maintain stocks above conservation limits, or at the very least halt the decline. The scientific advice is unequivocal that the ending of indiscriminate mixed stock fishing at sea and the restriction of angling in certain rivers are essential parts of a national strategy to arrest the decline in wild salmon stocks. If we do not take action now the relentless deterioration in stocks will continue, leading to the inevitable demise of wild salmon.

International best practice for the management of North Atlantic salmon requires the adoption of the precautionary approach and the cessation of indiscriminate mixed stock fisheries. These are the recommendations of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation and the International Council for the Exploitation of the Sea. EU obligations require Ireland to comply with the habitats directive, which also prescribes the precautionary approach and requires an end to indiscriminate mixed stock fishing. The EU Commission has issued a reasoned opinion against Ireland for non-compliance with the habitats directive in our management of the fishery to date. Ireland could face substantial fines if the European Court of Justice upholds the Commission's complaint. If we do not end mixed stock fishing in 2007, the EU Commission will unquestionably proceed in its action against Ireland. We can on the other hand expect a bonus to our reputation from neighbouring countries if we proceed on the proposed course.

In future, the harvest of salmon by any means will be restricted to those stocks of rivers that are meeting their conservation limits. This means there will be no more indiscriminate capture of fish. The scientific advice is that this can be best achieved by restricting fishing to bays, estuaries and rivers. Commercial fishing and recreational angling can continue only on the scientifically identified exploitable surplus. We have no option, therefore, but to move to single stock management.

The Government recognised that compliance with scientific advice from 2007 onwards could mean hardship for commercial fishermen and vulnerable coastal communities and appointed an independent group to examine all the implications of aligning with scientific advice for commercial salmon fishing. The Government approved the implementation of the scheme recommended by this group. The group informed the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources that it regarded the scheme as generous. There are 877 holders of drift net licences and the degree of hardship varies greatly among this group given that, in 2005, 445 licence holders caught fewer than 50 fish and only three licence holders caught more than 1,000. Drift net fishing has also been a seasonal activity concentrated in only two months of the year.

The Government has approved the establishment of a €25 million fund to address this hardship and the amount to be paid to individuals will be determined by reference to their average verifiable catch for each licence holder for the past five years — 2001 to 2005 — and in all cases a payment equal to six times the current licence fee in respect of each licence surrendered will be made. In addition the Government is establishing a community support scheme to a value of €5 million to support the development of additional economic opportunities in communities affected by the closure of the drift-net fishery. The focus of this measure will primarily be on those communities where drift net fishing has been a well-established activity and where its withdrawal demonstrably impacts on their economic and social fabric.

Special Educational Needs.

Ms O’Sullivan

There is a real danger that Bluebell ABA School for children with autism will have to close if it is not assisted by the Government with funding this year. That is why I am raising the issue as a matter of urgency. Parents are fearful for their children, who have been making wonderful progress and are so very content in the Bluebell environment. Bluebell was founded by parents in March 2004 and caters for six children in a rented house in a residential area of the Limerick suburbs.

Parents have managed to keep the school going through using home tuition grants and constant fundraising. They are worried, however, that even that tenuous funding is now at risk because the Department of Education and Science has told some of them that home tuition grants may be withdrawn. I urge the Minister for Education and Science to sanction the funding of Bluebell directly by her Department to put an end to the uncertainty and worry those families are suffering.

Already some 12 ABA schools have departmental funding, and I understand that two others have been approved. None is in Limerick, the third city of the Republic, and it is about time that Bluebell ABA school in that city was recognised. I know that the others that have received recognition are doing wonderful work, as is Bluebell, but its future is currently very insecure.

I recently visited the school, one of the most positive experiences that I have had for some time. It is clear that the children are benefiting from the environment and methods suited to their specific needs. From observing them and seeing how they interact with those with whom they deal at Bluebell, I have no doubt that those children would not be able to adapt to the traditional school classroom at this stage in their development. They do not have the skills to survive in a normal classroom.

One of the Bluebell parents explained matters by saying that children with autism are trapped inside their own minds, aware of their surroundings but unable to make sense of them. As well as teaching ABCs, they teach those children how to exist in the world around them, something that will be a cornerstone of their futures and a key to unlocking their potential to understand and participate in their world. By investing in autism-specific education at an early age, we can give those special children a real chance in life. If we do not, they and their families may face a future of constant battling for services and the understanding of those around them.

If we want to be purely mercenary about it, I have no doubt whatsoever that the State will save a great deal by addressing the needs of those children appropriately at an early age. I cannot overstate the commitment of the parents whom I met at that school. They are desperate to keep it going and offer the same opportunity to other parents, but they are very tired of constantly having to raise funds and battling to maintain what they have put in place. They are very concerned for their children's futures. If the school is granted recognition, it will be able to move to a new site and take more children. There is a long waiting list at present.

I understand that it has been offered a site should it be given the go-ahead to establish a purpose-built school. They propose to increase numbers gradually over a five-year period, taking an extra five children each year up to a maximum of 20. I urge the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, and his colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, to grant recognition and secure funding to Bluebell school. It cannot be allowed to close its doors for lack of funds. I make that appeal in the knowledge that the school is in genuine danger of closing owing to the loss of home tuition grants.

Mr. Browne

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and apologise for the Minister's absence. It provides me with the opportunity to clarify the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding educational provision for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders, ASD.

The Deputy will be aware of the commitment of the Department of Education and Science to ensuring that all children, including those with ASD, receive an education appropriate to their needs. In that regard, the Department has established 171 special classes for children with autism attached to special and mainstream schools; five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome; 16 pre-school classes to facilitate the demand for early intervention provision for children on the autistic spectrum; and 12 stand-alone facilities providing an applied behavioural analysis, ABA-specific methodology on a pilot basis. Approval has also been given for the establishment of a further two such facilities. The group referred to by the Deputy has applied for inclusion under that scheme.

The Department is of the view that children with autism, in common with all children, should have access to appropriate provision delivered by suitably qualified teachers within the school system where the children can mix with their wider peer group and have maximum opportunities for integration. Pupils with autism who are fully integrated into mainstream school receive individual teaching support for several hours per week, as well as support from special needs assistants and specialist equipment, if required.

Pupils attending those classes benefit from having a wider range of ASD teaching methodologies open to them, fully qualified national school teachers, a school structure and the option of integration into mainstream classes immediately available, depending on each child's ability and progress. Schools have the support of the Special Education Support Service, SESS, which is committed to providing continuing training as appropriate.

Staffing supports for autistic children in special classes in ordinary schools and special schools have a maximum pupil-teacher ratio of six pupils to every teacher. A minimum of two special needs assistants are provided per class, with the possibility of additional special needs assistant posts being made available up to a 1:1 basis where required.

The newly established National Council for Special Education and its team of over 70 special educational needs organisers is also working across the country to ensure that new services are put in place where needed so that children with special needs, including those on the autistic spectrum, have access to appropriate school-based provision.

I advise the Deputy that the Department of Education and Science is currently considering the application from Bluebell in Limerick for inclusion under the pilot scheme. I thank the Deputy once again for raising this matter. I assure her that I will bring her points to the Minister's attention. As the parent of a physically challenged child, I fully support the efforts of parents in Limerick to have such provision.

Ex-Service Personnel.

Mr. Wall

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, for taking this Adjournment debate. The Kildare Town Ex-Service Men and Women's Association is a group of approximately 35 to 40 retired ex-service personnel. In total, those men and women have given approximately 750 to 900 years' service to the Army on behalf of the State. Their service has seen them represent their country with distinction in many parts of the world, including the Congo, Cyprus, Lebanon and Iraq. In total, they had 66 overseas UN service missions, 17 to the Congo, 20 to Cyprus, 28 to Lebanon and one to Iraq. They acknowledge the work of other organisations and representative bodies and have no problem with them. However, they feel that they would be best served by an organisation for ex-members in their own area.

They are already involved in many social and community activities and recognised by their local community for their continued good work and assistance. Those activities include fundraising for many worthy local and individual cases and assisting local community projects and causes of which they are rightly proud. The reason for the Adjournment debate is that they feel left out given the fact that in all the years they have represented their members and their community, they have received official recognition on only two occasions, when the Taoiseach invited two of their members to ceremonial celebrations in Kilmainham.

Given the wonderful service that each and every one of those people has given to the State, and as ambassadors of the State and Army on overseas duties, why have they received so little recognition? I recently attended our annual commemorative Mass and wreath-laying ceremony and the wonderful turnout from the local community showed how much the people of Kildare appreciate the work the group has carried out and continues to carry out. After the Mass and wreath-laying ceremony, the group held a social function where it presented several cheques to projects and groups from the local community following many fundraising and voluntary efforts. In a confidential capacity, it also provides financial support for families, especially from the Defence Forces, that may require it.

Last night, I attended the group's monthly meeting. It was gratifying and humbling to listen to the letters of thanks and congratulation read out by the group from the various organisations, families and individuals that had received support from the organisation over the year. However, the one defining issue that hurts this voluntary group more than anything is the total lack of recognition from the Department and the Defence Forces for which they served without fear or favour for most of their adult lives.

When one considers what these ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen have achieved in forming a group to cater for discussion, debate and social inclusion, and, most importantly, to provide invaluable service to the local community, the least they might be afforded is a degree of recognition. It is stated that a little recognition goes a long way and I know how much the latter would mean to the group in question, which, despite its wonderful service, feels discriminated against. Its request for recognition and to be invited to the many parades organised by the Army and the Government would go a long way towards erasing that view.

Mr. Browne

I thank Deputy Wall for raising this matter. I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, who sends his apologies for being absent.

I wish to refer to the official recognition of organisations representing military veterans and the related question of these organisations being invited to appropriate State functions, ceremonies and parades of retired Army groups. There are three national associations and organisations, representing ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen, which are recognised by the Defence Forces and by the Department of Defence. These organisations are Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann Teoranta, ONET, more generally known under its English language title, the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Women; the Irish United Nations Veterans Association, IUNVA; and the Association of Retired Commissioned Officers, ARCO.

ONET holds regular meetings and, on occasion, takes part in parades and marches. ONET is nationally organised and has 48 active branches throughout the country. Retired military personnel are encouraged to join an appropriate branch for local areas. IUNVA is another national organisation which holds regular meetings and on occasion takes part in parades and marches. ARCO is a relatively new association and has not yet taken part in parades and marches but, I understand, has a programme of regular meetings. The membership of ARCO, as its name implies, is confined to former commissioned officers.

Both ONET and IUNVA are open to former members of the Permanent Defence Force across all ranks. Understandably, a number of people would hold membership of both organisations. Representatives of ONET and IUNVA are invited, as a matter of course, to all major military parades and reviews. Representatives from both are invited, from time to time, to attend and participate in locally organised regional events at brigade and formation level. Invitations are, for example, issued in association with events and religious ceremonies commemorating deceased members of the Defence Forces.

The Department of the Taoiseach is centrally responsible for the organisation of major State functions such as the National Day of Commemoration and the recent Easter 1916 90th anniversary commemoration. Both ONET and IUNVA were invited to participate in the Easter commemoration parade and representative contingents of both organisations, exceeding 100 personnel in each case, fully participated. More generally, the Department of the Taoiseach consults the Department of Defence in respect of invitations for the Defence Forces and for ex-military personnel and veterans organisations, as may be appropriate, in the context of specific events or functions.

As regards the Kildare Town Ex-Servicemen and Women's Association and in respect of any other such local groups throughout the country, the position is that it is considered inadvisable to afford official recognition to a large number of relatively small organisations. A multiplicity of such small local organisations would be considered to be detrimental to all concerned in the long term because it would result in duplication and would dissipate human effort and resources. It would also present serious difficulties for the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces in managing the process.

The Defence Forces advise that, in their professional view, ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen are currently very well served by the officially recognised national organisations, ONET, IUNVA and ARCO. They suggest that local groups such as the Kildare Ex-Servicemen and Women's Association may wish to consider joining ONET because they could then fully avail of the official umbrella recognition afforded to it. The association could also then avail of the substantial existing organisational and administrative infrastructure and the vast body of experience that has been developed by ONET over the course of many years.

The Dáil adjourned at 8.55 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 8 November 2006.