Due to the complexity of the legislation required for the establishment of the new body and competing priorities, not just within the Department but also across Departments generally, for time in the Oireachtas legislative calendar, it has not proved possible to introduce the required legislation to date.
In the context of providing the legislation necessary to facilitate the new structures, an examination is also being undertaken as to how the existing 17 pieces of legislation governing the inland fisheries sector, which date back to 1959, can be modernised and consolidated into a single statute. As the joint committee will appreciate, there is a considerable amount of work involved in such an exercise.
A sub-group of the National Fisheries Management Executive has been established to ensure those dealing with the legislation at an operational level will have an input into proposals for the new legislation that will govern the sector. This group is working closely with the Department in developing legislative proposals which I hope to be in a position to bring forward next year.
The joint committee may be aware that the Government has recently appointed an interdepartmental group charged with overseeing the independent review of inland fisheries. This should ensure significant progress is made in the coming year in advancing proposals to restructure the inland fisheries sector.
A new initiative being undertaken by the boards of the inland fisheries service in relation to the proposed restructuring of the sector has recently been brought to my attention. I look forward to hearing the detailed proposals for the future management of the sector at a meeting with the chairpersons of the central and regional fisheries boards which is scheduled for this coming Friday.
My objective is to deliver an effective legislative and regulatory framework and value for money management for the inland fisheries sector. This will be best accomplished by putting in place a new modernised management framework for the sector and providing the necessary legislative and regulatory support to deliver the new structures.
Given the significant changes envisaged for the sector, I am anxious that, in view of their valuable contribution, the existing members of the regional fisheries boards be given an opportunity to play a key role, not only in ensuring a continuing input to the work of the boards, but also in advancing the proposals to restructure the sector. Accordingly, I propose to postpone the elections to the boards for a further year in accordance with section 15 of the Fisheries Act 1980. This will facilitate the continued contribution of those individuals directly involved in overseeing the service, whom I believe will have a key role to play in advancing the restructuring of the sector.
The order, when made, will also result in the postponement of elections to co-operative societies, the position of which will be addressed in the context of the new legislation to be introduced. It is my firm belief that, through the newly appointed interdepartmental group, proposals to restructure the sector can be significantly advanced in the coming year, thereby allowing the sector to reach its full potential through more coherent and consistent policy-making and resource allocation, better decision-making and value for money.
While I am committed to restructuring of the sector, I recognise that there will be significant challenges in bringing it about. The changes in the inland fisheries sector will be progressed on an open and transparent basis, to ensure as much involvement as possible by as wide a range of stakeholders as possible. I trust that the committee will recommend that the Oireachtas pass a motion approving the order to defer the elections.