Repeated complaints have been made in this House on several occasions and questions have been asked about the depredations committed by foreign trawlers along the coast of Saorstát Eireann. Promises have been made by the Minister that the number of patrol boats would be increased and the answers to questions, when the Minister was reminded of an odd trawler caught illegally fishing, were in neatly rounded phraseology to the effect that the evidence would be laid before the Chief State Solicitor with a view to the prosecution of the trawler masters. I now ask him whether there has been any prosecution against any of these pirates, since the Ministry was formed, in Donegal. Several have been caught, and sufficient evidence is available to sustain a conviction. We in Donegal are of the opinion that the Minister and his Department are sort of Rip Van Winkles, who only wake up to the realities of the situation about once in every seven years. These thieves are closely watching where the local fishermen operate and, having carefully noted the spot, swoop down and clear the area of fish, and in addition ruin the fishing ground with their trawls. The unfortunate local men have to watch these pirates plundering the fish which they are entitled to, while they themselves are in absolute starvation, because they are unable to catch the fish owing to the operations of the marauding boats. No effective control is being exercised, to prevent this piracy, by the responsible authorities.
I understand that at the present time there is only one patrol boat for the whole Saorstát coast-line. How can it be held or established that one patrol boat is sufficient to control the operations of those thieving marauders? The purse strings of the National Exchequer must, indeed, be held with a relentless grip when we cannot afford to provide a fleet of patrol boats to protect an industry which means millions of pounds to the country, in labour, transit, and in the provision of cheap, wholesome food for the people. Inadequate fines when people were caught have been inflicted. At Clifden, Co. Galway, on the 5th June, the owners of two French lobster boats were fined £10 each by the District Justice, but if some local person was caught making poteen he would have been fined £25 or £50. When these thieving pirates, who are taking the bread out of the mouths of the local fishermen, are brought up they are let off with a fine of £10. What do they care about a fine of £10 or £100? They would make it in one haul in one night, and they simply laugh at the administration of the Free State. The latest depredation of these boats has occurred off the Donegal coast line, in the vicnity of Burtonport where several boats were caught fishing the other night with their identity numbers and names carefully concealed by tarpaulins and with their lights out. About a month ago I brought under the notice of the Minister for Fisheries by a question the fact that two trawlers were caught off Malin Head. There are a dozen men who are willing to give evidence about the incident, but nothing has been done. Several trawlers have been caught off Donegal within the last two years illegally trawling but no prosecution has been taken. We want to know what the Minister and his department are doing for the amount of money which they are getting from the State. As the hour is late I do not wish to delay the Dáil after a wearying day, but I deemed it my duty to bring up this matter, which requires, and should get, more careful attention from the Minister and his Department than it is getting.
