andMr. Coogan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will consider amending the law so as to extend to aircraft the provision that naval vessls may, by instrumentation, legally establish the position of a foreign ship in a forbidden area.

The provisions in the Fisheries Acts in regard to illegal entry into and illegal fishing in the exclusive fishery limits of the State do not prescribe the means by which the position of the offending vessel is to be established. The use of aircraft is not, therefore, ruled out under the Acts.

Can naval vessels, by instrumentation, establish the position of a foreign vessel?

Does the Deputy mean a naval protection vessel?

Yes.

Yes, provided they have the necessary apparatus with which to do it.

If they can legally do that, can provision be made so that aircraft may legally do it?

Aircraft may legally do it.

Have they got the equipment to do it?

No, it is a question of having the equipment to do it.

Why are we not providing them with it?

They may legally do it. There is nothing to prevent them doing it.

Why are they not provided with the necessary equipment?

It is like trying to play a soccer match without a football.

It is a question of the aircraft not having the proper equipment with which to do it, and it is also a question of how acceptable the result of this would be. It might not be as reliable as the result from the use of a fishery protection vessel. It is not such a simple operation.

I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary why this has not been examined more completely. Our fishery protection is totally inadequate.

It has been examined and is still being examined.

Will it be done?

That will depend on the result of examination.

When will we know that?

Is it not a fact that there is only one fishery protection vessel capable of even going to sea at the moment?

No, that is not a fact.