DEBATE ON REPORTS. - FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
The DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES said the people of Tory Island were badly in need of a new boat. There would be some delay in recovering the Insurance on the old boat. He was assured, however, that the Insurance Company would have to pay.
The MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT asked if something could be done for Gorumna and Lettermullen, where an epidemic of typhoid had broken out. The standard of living here was very low.
The MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS said these people refused to work the boat they got as a free gift, and the DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES agreed.
The DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES then moved that the question of providing a new motor boat for the Tory CoOperative Fishing Society be referred to the Fisheries Committee for consideration and that a report be submitted to An Dáil.
J. MACENTEE (Monaghan, South) expressed disappointment at the Report of the Fisheries Department. He complained that the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the West Carbery Fishing Society had not been circulated. Most of the Fishery schemes had been disastrous to the reputation of the Dáil.
The PRESIDENT said he was at present engaged in a general stock-taking in all Departments.
SEAN HAYES (Cork, West) said he was a member of the Committee who inquired into the West Carbery Society. He had supplied a copy of the Report to the Secretary for Finance.
The MINISTER FOR FINANCE said the report had been circulated to the Ministry. He had recommended to the Ministry that all activities in connection with fisheries should cease. It was too big a problem to tackle successfully in present conditions. They would want £1,500,000 to deal with fisheries on anything like a proper scale. The failures all arose from dishonesty on the part of the fishermen. The only thing they could hope to do at present was to help by expert advice.
The ACTING SPEAKER mentioned that the resolution proposed by the Director of Fisheries had not been seconded, and it accordingly fell through.
J. MACENTEE (Monaghan, South) moved the rejection of the Fisheries Report, but the motion was not seconded.
It was explained that the Director of Fisheries was ill when the report of the West Carbery Committee of Inquiry was considered, and that the failure to circulate it was an oversight. The Director of Fisheries promised to circulate the report before next meeting.
The Report of the Department of Fisheries was then adopted, (Mr. MACENTEE dissenting).