Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
108. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the changes that were made to the Inland Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017 without going through pre-legislative scrutiny which was waived for this Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41845/20]
View answerAdvice from the Office of the Attorney General was received to the effect that the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 did not explicitly provide Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) with a power to prosecute in relation to certain offences under the Fisheries Acts. The 2017 Act therefore amended the 2010 Act to ensure that IFI, as a statutory prosecutor, could continue to enforce the Inland Fisheries Acts which underpin the protection, management and conservation of Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea-angling resource.
Government approved in March 2017 the priority drafting for the Inland Fisheries (Amendment) Bill, and an exemption from pre-legislative scrutiny for this Bill was sought. The Business Committee agreed to the request for exemption from pre-legislative scrutiny in respect of the Inland Fisheries (Amendment) Bill 2017. It is also important to note that the Bill was subject to the standard legislative Dail and Seanad procedures that apply to all primary legislation brought through the OireachtasI attach a copy of the 2017 Act for the Deputy’s information and it is also available on www.irishstatutebook.ie.
