John Perry
Ceist:120 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has a statutory duty with regard to the ESB; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11111/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 7 April 2004
Ceisteanna (127, 128, 129, 130)
John Perry
Ceist:122 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether the ESB is reluctant to provide operational details to his office; if he will obtain answers to previous questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11113/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraJohn Perry
Ceist:123 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the ESB fisheries division provides him, under the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act 1961, with an annual financial breakdown of profits in detail and operating costs; his views on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11114/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraJohn Perry
Ceist:124 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if the ESB fisheries division operated third party companies to reduce its accountability in relation to its statutory duties, namely fisheries protection and research; and if he will make a statement on the matter in view of the previous questions. [11115/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Question No. 120 and Questions Nos. 122 to 124, inclusive, together.
I do not have any statutory powers to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the ESB. Overall corporate governance responsibilities relate in the main to appointment of the chairperson and board members; submission of annual report and accounts; approval of the board's overall capital expenditure programme; approval of the board's borrowing requirements; and approval of the establishment and acquisition of companies by the board.
Under the Shannon Fisheries Acts, the ESB has the statutory duty of managing, conducting and preserving the Shannon fisheries, subject and without prejudice to, the primary function of maintaining, working and developing the Shannon hydro-electric works. No profit accrues from the board's fisheries operations and their activities in this regard are focused on stock conservation.
Under the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act 1961, the proceedings of the board regarding the fisheries and fishing rights vested in it is, without prejudice to the performance or exercise by the board of their duties, powers and functions, subject to general supervision of the Minister. The 1961 Act also provides that the board shall furnish to the Minister an annual report, statistics, returns and accounts in relation to fisheries under its management. The ESB has published its fisheries conservation annual report for the year ending December 2002 which sets out details of turnover, expenditure, payroll, operational costs and net loss figures in relation to fisheries which have been extracted from the financial statements of the ESB for the year ended 31 December 2002.
I am advised by the ESB that it has always provided protection for the fisheries of the River Shannon and that it currently employs a specialist security service for this purpose. I am further advised that the ESB also engages the services of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board on contract to assist in the cover of peak periods and that NUIG provides its facilities and expertise to carry out any research required by the ESB. It is the view of the ESB that these contractual arrangements do not reduce or affect accountability in relation to the performance of these statutory duties and functions which are explicitly proper to the ESB under the legislation in question.
Question No. 121 answered with QuestionNo. 116.
Questions Nos. 122 to 124, inclusive, answered with Question No. 120.