6 Nov 2013, 10:28
A delegation from the Oireachtas Joint Committee sub-Committee on Fisheries is in Scotland this week to hear first-hand how the challenges facing its island and coastal communities are being met.
6 November 2013
On Friday (8 November) the delegation will visit an aquaculture development in Connel, near Oban, on Scotland’s west coast and hear from local producers, industry representatives and leading marine scientists. Tomorrow’s (7 November) programme takes in a series of meetings in Edinburgh with Members of the Scottish Parliament’s Committee on Rural Affairs, Minister for Local Government and Planning Derek McKay MSP and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead MSP.
Chairman of the Committee Andrew Doyle TD says: “The visit to Scotland will afford the Committee a solid understanding of what policy options are available to bolster coastal and island communities in Ireland. Exploring the potential for aquaculture development is a key part of this work. Taking in a site visit of a well-managed fish farm on the west coast, the Committee will be able to assess first-hand the impact of modern aquaculture development and its compatibility with established industries such as tourism and inshore, island and coastal fishing.
“The delegation will also gain from a series of meetings with fellow parliamentarians in Edinburgh. The exchange of views with parliamentarians in Holyrood is expected to compare the current challenges for island and coastal areas in both countries and consider the government policy options that best supports these communities. The outcomes of the visit to Scotland will inform an upcoming sub-Committee report on promoting sustainable coastal and island communities in Ireland.”
A programme for the visit is outlined below.
Ends
For further information contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Programme
Thursday 7 November
8:50 Arrive Scottish Parliament
9:00 Meeting with Delegation Convener and Members of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee
10:00 Private Tour of Parliament Delegation
10:30 Meeting with Richard Lochhead MSP
11:40 Observe General Question Time in Presiding Officer’s Gallery
12:00 Observe First Minister’s Questions in Presiding Officer’s Gallery
14:00 Meeting with Minister Derek Mackay
16:30 Round Table Meeting in Irish Consulate with Phil Thomas, Scottish Salmon Producers; Prof Jimmy Turnbull, Stirling University Aquaculture Centre; and Dr Dan Mayor, OceanLab
Friday 8 November
10:15 Arrive in Connel and meet with Association of Shellfish Growers
11:30 Arrive at Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Oban, and meet with Dr Sheila Heymans, Head of the Ecology Department, Prof Kenny Black and Dr Clive Fox
Joint sub-Committee on Fisheries - Membership
Chairman: Andrew Doyle TD
Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Andrew Doyle TD, Fine Gael
Martin Ferris TD, Sinn Féin
Michael McNamara TD, Labour
Thomas Pringle TD, Independent
Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill, Fianna Fáil
Joint Committee on Transport and Communications
Noel Harrington TD, Fine Gael
Sean Kenny TD, Labour
Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Senator Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Senator Denis Landy, Labour