Written By: Mr. Browne
On Date: 30/5/2006
With regard to the tourism angling measure, a very small sum of €1,000 has been included. Some €30 million was supposed to be ring-fenced in the last NDP to promote tourism angling in the BMW region, but the money was diverted elsewhere. It has great potential for the country, so why has it received such low priority? Considering the budget of €28 million for inland fisheries, one can see that pay and non-pay recurrent costs at the Central Fisheries Board and its regional counterparts amounts to €24.5 million. The level of funding for capital expenditure, angling measures and inland fisheries is minimal. The Minister is seriously considering conducting a large-scale review of inland fisheries. Are they not dying on their feet owing to a lack of funding?
Mr. Eamon Ryan: Is the Minister of State’s understanding of the best scientific advice that we should end mixed-stock fisheries, that is, drift-netting at sea for salmon?
Mr. Broughan: Does the Minister of State have a view on the question I asked regarding the way in which he is moving forward on the national inland fisheries legislation? Is he putting the cart before the horse? What is intended regarding publicly owned fisheries? People fear that inland fisheries may be alienated to private vested interests not representative of the full community.
Mr. Browne: Deputy Perry has raised the tourism and recreational angling measures several times. In the 2006 NDP, there was an indicative figure of €30 million, but when economic conditions changed in 2002, it was withdrawn. Little or no money was spent at that time.
Mr. Perry: I appreciate what the Minister is saying. He referred to the downturn in 2003 after the rise in spending prior to the 2002 general election. We have heard every day of the week since that the economy is booming. Was serious consideration given to reallocating the €30 million to the regions?
Mr. Browne: No decision to reallocate was taken by previous Ministers. My personal view is that tourism and recreational angling should come under the remit of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. I understand that it might well happen. The money is not currently there for this area, and I envisage its moving to tourism rather than our being involved in recreational angling. Discussions will take place between the two Departments to ensure that it happens. I have travelled around the country extensively in recent weeks and many people have very worthwhile projects in their areas. I consider it very important for the future of rural Ireland and I wish to see it develop. While not wishing to get rid of it, I feel believe the place to park it is in the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.
Mr. Perry: Does the Minister of State agree that effectively nothing is happening? The €1,000 is a token payment that would not even buy stationery. Is it clear that funding angling tourism has been completely closed down as a priority? It has great potential. In 1999 some 54,000 angling tourists entered Ireland but that figure has dropped to 20,000. In light of this funding is it any wonder?
We saw the report on the inland fisheries review. Inland fisheries have been starved of cash for investment. That is true of angling tourism but also in respect of fishing for salmon, which is another contentious issue. The Department has failed to follow scientific advice for the last few years and there is still uncertainty regarding the future. This country has potential to be a major tourism destination but we have failed dismally in that regard. Nothing will happen in the next 12 months and with the general election approaching, I cannot see anything happening regarding tourism angling until the advent of the next Administration, which I hope will be of a different hue and will see this in a different light.
Chairman: Was that the Deputy’s concluding statement?
Mr. Browne: It would not be true to say that no angling projects are happening around the country, since the fisheries boards and the councils are active. I was in Roscommon and Westmeath last week, where we opened four different projects. The county councils and fisheries boards have got together and developed small piers and harbours and provided fishing boats. The Elan Corporation in Athlone is involved with Roscommon County Council and the Shannon Fisheries Board in developing the Cross River as an angling and recreational facility. A certain number of projects are still happening.
The Deputy is right to say that €1,000 is a notional figure to keep the budget line open but I hope that in the NDP covering the period from 2007 to 2013, this area will very much be part and parcel of tourism.
Mr. Perry: On the BMW region, does the Minister of State feel that he can give any indication of support for the reallocation of the €30 million from the last NDP? It was justified at the time but diverted elsewhere. Can the Minister of State state its necessity? It is an outrageous loss to the BMW region. The money was promised, removed and not put back. Not only that, we are now allocating only €1,000 for tourism angling measures in the coming year. That is outrageous and of all the reports today, this is the one that hits me the most. There is a notional payment of €1,000, but we must consider this country’s potential and the fact that €30 million has been stripped from the BMW region.
Chairman: Perhaps the Minister of State might respond. I presume that the allocation is technical and that more can be put in.
Mr. Browne: Some €28 million has been allocated to inland fisheries this year and some of that can be used.
Mr. Perry: Of the €28 million, some €24 million is taken up by pay and non-pay recurrent costs, meaning that there is only €4 million. The capital expenditure of the Central Fisheries Board and its regional counterparts is €693,000 for seven boards.
Mr. Browne: I did not remove the €30 million. I want to move on from here and discuss this with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism to determine how we might have very worthwhile tourism measures in future. That money was allocated, then it was not and we ended up not spending any of it. The Deputy can rest assured that we are working on it, and I am sure that he will also be making noises to ensure that we have a tourism angling project.
Chairman: The Order of Business is now taking place in the Dáil and we must have concluding remarks from Deputes Broughan and Eamon Ryan.
Mr. Broughan: I thank the Minister of State and his officials.
Mr. Eamon Ryan: I asked regarding the best scientific advice.
Mr. Browne: In the week that I took up this job, we had to make decisions. I met the stakeholders and people involved on all sides. We agreed that we would accept the Salmon Commission figures, that is, 90,000 in respect of those involved in net fishing and 15,000 in respect of those involved in angling and that a three-man strategy group to examine the issue would be established. We picked those whom we felt to be the three best people involved to look at the overall picture, reporting to us by the end of August or first week in September.
The strategy group will consider all the issues at stake, including any that Deputy Eamon Ryan mentions, and report back to us early in September. It will be considered by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources before going to the Government. The establishment of the structure was approved through Government memorandum and was not simply an initiative of the Department. We are operating on that basis. I can say to Deputy Eamon Ryan that I certainly——
Mr. Broughan: Is this an indication that the general election will be in the autumn? The Government has no intention of making such a decision.
Chairman: Has Deputy Broughan finished summing up?
Mr. Broughan: Yes.
Mr. Eamon Ryan: The Minister of State set up the process and said he will align it with scientific advice in 2007. Does he agree that the best scientific advice is to end the mixed-stock fishery?
Mr. Browne: I am not agreeing anything at present. I am waiting for the committee to report, after which we will make the decision.
On Deputy Broughan’s point, the Taoiseach has said the election will be next May and I will therefore have to make the decisions on the driftnet and draftnet anglers next March or April.
Mr. Broughan: If the Minister of State believes that, he would believe anything.
Mr. Browne: I totally believe it.
Chairman: I am disappointed we had to rush the end of these proceedings. Is the Minister of State aware that this committee produced a comprehensive report on driftnet and draftnet angling? It has not been referred to. Did the Department receive it yet?
Mr. Browne: It was referred to in the Government memorandum. All the documents, including the committee’s, have been sent to Mr. White, Mr. Malone and Mr.——
Chairman: The press offices must have forgotten to include it in their press releases.
Mr. Browne: The committee was mentioned.
Chairman: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending. We look forward to engaging with them again.
Message to Dáil.
Chairman: In accordance with Standing Order 85, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:
The Select Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has completed its consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Marine and Natural Resources.
The select committee adjourned at 5.35 p.m. sine die.
Marine and Natural Resources