Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 4

Written Answers. - Fisheries Development.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

96 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to a previous commitment for the sanction of a ?100,000 start up grant for the planning stage of the River Robe catchment plan for the catchment management initiative and to the fact that the catchment group has now been informed by the Western Regional Fisheries Board that no money is available for the project; if his attention has further been drawn to the seriously polluted condition of the River Robe which is the main spawning river for trout from Lough Mask; if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the promised initial funding is made available to the Robe catchment group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22144/02]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern)

I am aware of the press announcement referred to in the Deputy's question. On foot of the survey of the River Robe carried out by the Western Regional Fisheries Board, which found that nearly 70% of the river as surveyed is now classified as slightly or moderately polluted, the board established a catchment management group to put in place collective action to turn this situation around. As part of this initiative, the board convened all the parties to agree locally based strategies for tackling the specific problems of the Robe catchment.

The Western Regional Fisheries Board applied for €10,000 in respect of work this year on the Robe River catchment management, the allocation of which I recently approved. Applications for further funding for the Robe River catchment management group, as with all such groups, will be considered in the context of available resources in 2003 and forward years.