Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2013
397. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a person who availed of the salmon hardship scheme can be named as an authorised person to operate the commercial licence during the absence of the licensee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30529/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the Control of Fishing for Salmon order provides for a nominee on a commercial salmon fishing licence. In the event that the licence holder is unable to fish, the nominee may fish the licence on their behalf provided the licence holder is medically unfit to fish the licence and can provide medical evidence to that effect.
The Licence holder can seek to have a person authorised as the nominee by doing so in writing to the relevant River Basin District Director of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), who administer the licensing process. IFI will, as in other years, review all aspects of the licencing regime and will make recommendations to the Department, in advance of the 2014 season.
While it is not a situation IFI encounter, except on very rare occasions, in consideration of award of licences, it is possible that the nominee may be a person who previously availed of the ‘Salmon Hardship Scheme’ but it is a condition of that scheme that the nominee may not apply for a commercial licence in his/her name again.
