asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he is aware that the inshore fishermen of Passage East, County Waterford, have been refused by the agents of the Sea Fisheries Association the purchase and sale of their catches of fish recently, on the grounds that the Association will only take fish from their own deep sea trawlers, and whether he is aware that there is a shortage of fish in Waterford City and further if he will send down an independent expert to investigate the whole matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sea Fisheries Association and Waterford Fishermen.
The Sea Fisheries Association is obliged under its rules to market the fish of its members who are fishermen and have entered into the Association's co-operative marketing agreement. If the inshore fishermen of Passage East will take this step and will hand over their catches to the agent of the Association at Passage East, I understand that no difficulty will arise.
Do I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to say that if the fish is offered by the fishermen to the Sea Fisheries Association the Sea Fisheries Association will purchase it?
I will repeat my reply (reply again read).
Is the Parliamentary Secretary winding up by saying that he understands that no difficulty will arise now? I see the Minister is present and I want to know if the Minister is prepared to say that any inshore fisherman who becomes a member of the Sea Fisheries Association will have his catch of fish taken from him by the Sea Fisheries Association?
The answer clearly deals with that. In the ordinary way that is the practice and I do not see how any difficulty can arise in the matter.