Vol. 559 No. 2
154 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that nine employees of the South-Western Regional Fisheries Board are losing their jobs due to lack of funding; and if funds will be provided in order that these jobs be saved. [26110/02]
As I informed the House on 26 November 2002, under the Fisheries Acts, responsibility for the overall administration of human resources issues, including terms and conditions of employment of fisheries board contract staff, is a matter for the Central Fisheries Board and, in this instance, the South-Western Regional Fisheries Board. The chief executive officer of that board has advised me that no temporary contracts have been terminated to date.
The Abridged Estimates Volume for 2003, published last month, includes provision in my Department's Vote for €16.321 million for current and €762, 000 for capital expenditure for inland fisheries in 2003. The estimate includes provision for all current and capital payments to the central and regional fisheries boards in 2003. I have now asked the fisheries boards to prepare a profile of expenditure which will ensure adherence to the 2003 allocation. The specific allocation of funding to the South-Western Regional Fisheries Board will be determined in the context of this profile.
The employment of contract staff, or the terms of any such employment, in 2003 will be a matter for the board to determine when deciding their staffing complement for next year in the context of available funding.
