The Chairman of the┬áIrish Salmon Anglers – FISSTA (Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers) Mr. John Carroll,┬áwelcomed the passing of the report stage of the Inland Fisheries Bill 2009 through the Dail recently.┬á “On behalf of our FISSTA members nationwide, I congratulated the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Mr Eamon Ryan TD and the opposition spokespeople on the completion of this very onerous task. It brings to a conclusion our campaign to reform inland fisheries by merging all regional fishery boards into one body now being named Inland Fisheries Ireland.┬á It has taken over six years since our federation met three times in January 2004 under the Chairmanship of Mr Edward Power to┬ápresent┬áour first submission to┬áthe Dept high level review under the charge of FGS consultants.┬á Our proposals met with ‘strong opposition’ and taken many┬ádiversions since that time but┬áwe are now pleased that the bill will soon be ready to┬áopen up a new chapter in the management of inland fisheries.
Mr┬áPower’s┬ádecades of voluntary service was commended in the Dail Chamber by the opposition spokespeople Liz Mc Manus TD Labour and Simon Coveney TD Fine Gael for his long and valued service to angling.┬á He┬áwas the Secretary of the Salmon and Seatrout┬áCouncil┬áof Ireland ┬áin 1979 when the late Brian Lenihan TD was Minister for Fisheries passed the 1980 act.
Minister Eamon Ryan TD was generous in his praise for FISSTA when he stated “I too wish to acknowledge the presence in the Visitors Gallery of people who have spent significant amounts of time on a voluntary, non-paid basis in the protection and development of our fisheries, for community benefit and gain.”
Minister Eamon Ryan meets FISSTA in Dail Eirann at the passing of the Inland Fisheries Bill
Dail Record 11.3.2010
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Eamon Ryan): It is regrettable that the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, was not able to take Report and Final Stages because, as Deputy McManus said, it would have shown a connection from his fatherÔÇÖs time and I think that should be marked.┬á Like Deputy McManus, I too wish to acknowledge the presence in the Visitors Gallery of people who have spent significant amounts of time on a voluntary, non-paid basis in the protection and development of our fisheries, for community benefit and gain. I thank my officials. We have a very small Department with very limited resources which have been significantly cut back in recent years as budgetary constraints have come into play. My officials have shown outstanding public service and have done very good work in getting this Bill through the House, considering the limited resources at their disposal, and I commend and thank them.
Inland Fisheries Bill 09 Report Final stage debae passing by Dáil Éireann