Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2017
392. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the detail of the proposal made by the CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland regarding the possible leasing of the salmon weir fishery in Galway city to private interests; his views on the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47748/17]
View answerI met with the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) last week to discuss this and other issues.
I am advised by the Board that they requested the CEO to set out, without prejudice, options for the operation of the Galway Fishery. I understand that the Board's main concern in this regard was that the operation of the fishery would, in as far as possible, be self-financing as regards its full costs.
Three potential options were presented to the Board to assist in focusing on the key issue. No one option was presented to the Board as the preferred choice of the Executive. The options identified were:
1. Maintain existing management/operational arrangements;
2. Consider licensing the operation of the fishery while retaining it in State ownership; and,
3. Explore possibilities to make the fishery self financing, covering its costs on a fully allocated basis.
In its deliberations, the Board chose option three and has directed that the Executive implement that decision.
