asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that extensive poaching on the fishing grounds in the neighbourhood of Castletownberehaven, County Cork, is being carried on by foreign trawlers; and whether he will consider stationing some of the naval corvettes at Castletownberehaven harbour where military installations now abandoned already exist.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Poaching by Foreign Trawlers.
I am aware that from time to time foreign trawlers are alleged to be poaching in this and in other areas round the coast of Ireland. At present. L.E. "Macha" is carrying out a fishery patrol and gunnery exercises based on Berehaven. Recently, this vessel pursued and arrested a trawler off the Blasket Islands and escorted her to Valentia under a charge of fishing inside territorial waters and refusing to heave to when ordered. Owing to the present establishment of three naval vessels, it will not be possible to station one vessel permanently in the Castletownberehaven area, but it and other areas where poaching is liable to occur will be patrolled as frequently as possible.
In view of the fact that there are semi-abandoned military installations and, I think, even naval installations at Castletownberehaven, does the Minister not think that either now or in the early future these installations should be availed of to accommodate part of this maritime force inasmuch as poaching habitually takes place in that south-west corner of Ireland and inasmuch as it would be a substantial economy to accommodate the vessels there rather than build new installations to accommodate them elsewhere?
When the naval establishments are fully serviced, we may be able to consider that point of view.