Martin Ferris
Question:158 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the status of legislation to establish the Foyle and Carlingford Irish Lights Commission. [4400/05]
View answerThursday, 10 February 2005
Questions (158)
Written answers
The British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 extended responsibility for the management and development of inland fisheries in the Carlingford area to the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. It also conferred on the agency responsibility for, inter alia, the development and licensing of aquaculture in the Foyle and Carlingford areas and provided that legislation would be brought forward for this purpose.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that over the last number of months officials from this Department have been engaged in an intensive series of meetings with Northern colleagues, the Loughs Agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and that substantial progress has been made in advancing the Bill.
At the outset of these discussions, a wide range of issues requiring resolution was identified. Substantial progress has been made in reaching agreement on most of the points and I am pleased to say that only a few issues remain outstanding.
While I appreciate that previous indications were that I expected to publish the Bill before now, I am sure the Deputy will nevertheless agree that, given the complexity of the task assigned to them, it is important that the officials be allowed the necessary time to deliver a draft which fully and comprehensively addresses all the issues. I have asked this Department to continue to work very closely with all parties concerned and to ensure, however, that there is no undue delay in the process.