I thank the Minister for attending the House. I acknowledge his continuing commitment to the development of the coarse fishing industry and its contribution to the local economy in my part of the country, specifically in the Leitrim lake district, which is centred on Lough Allen, and my home town of Drumshanbo. I also acknowledge the important contribution he has made, the occasions on which he has met representatives of the coarse fishing industry and his overall sympathetic understanding of the difficulties we face in the severely economically disadvantaged Border region. It is in that context that I have raised this Adjournment matter.
Last November the Minister launched a North-South aquaculture initiative in the course of which he stated: "This programme will directly help aquaculture businesses, entrepreneurs and investors by providing wide ranging expert advice on technical hygiene, environmental and quality issues". He went on to say that a cross-Border aquaculture initiative team comprising eight full-time employees would be appointed. The team would be based in the Border region to ensure that locally based support would be readily available. In addition to a team leader, there would be four resource development officers, two quality and environmental officers and a secretarial support officer. He went on to say that the initiative would be managed by a joint steering committee from the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Seafoods and BIM.
In this context I am anxious to explore how the Minister sees this initiative developing. My interest, parochial as it may sound, centres around my county. However, as this is a cross-Border initiative I am anxious to establish the implications the personnel mentioned by the Minister will have for the Border counties. If a permanent secretariat is to be established I am anxious that the Minister, if it is within his gift to do so, would give serious consideration first, to County Leitrim generally, because of its central location within the Border region, and, second, to Drumshanbo, which is central to the county and is located at the tip of Lough Allen where an embryonic aquaculture industry is already developing.
In recent years the Government has been anxious to provide what may be referred to as value added industries, linkages between our plentiful supply of seafood along the coast and the development of on-shore industries, not necessarily located in coastal areas. The Cathaoirleach will be aware that Boyle, which is in his constituency and is only a ten minute drive from my home, has in Green Isle Foods a very successful seafood linked industry.
I am anxious to see if there are any job opportunities following the initiative announced by the Minister for this part of the Border region, including County Leitrim, north County Roscommon, County Sligo and County Cavan. First, will the secretariat be permanently based and, if so, has the Minister given any consideration to its location? Second, in the wider context of what he is launching here, what initiative can he take to encourage value added industries such as those I mentioned which might have a positive impact on the economy of my area? Third, in a general sense, what practical effect will the recent passing of the British-Irish Agreement Bill, the setting up of the cross-Border implementation bodies and the Minister's role in the development of the aquaculture industry have in the Border counties? I hope the Minister will address those specific areas.
