asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if the final contracts for the purchase of the St. George's oyster beds at Kinvara and Clarinbridge districts, County Galway have been finalised by his Department.

42.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the arrangements, if any, that have been made by his Department to allow fishing to take place in an orderly fashion in the St. George's oyster beds at Clarinbridge and Kinvara districts, County Galway for the oyster fishing month of December; the organisation that will be responsible for the development of those beds; the proposals that he intends to make to the oyster fishermen for orderly development; and if he will now make a statement on the matter.

(Cavan-Monaghan): With the permission of the Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together.

It is hoped to conclude the purchase of the St. George oyster fishery very shortly.

Arrangements for the management and development of the fishery cannot be put into effect until the purchase of the fishery has been completed but at this stage it is intended that An Bord Iascaigh Mhara will make the necessary arrangements. These arrangements will include plans for the development of the beds and the manner in which fishing can most beneficially be carried out.

I am glad to hear that at last the finalisation of that contract is in hand. I should like to ask the Minister if he is aware — this is something that I only became aware of recently — that the St. George's bed has a licence to fish oyster from the month of September while the public bed has a licence to fish only in the month of December? Will the Minister ask BIM to take this fact into account when they are drawing up the programme for the running of the beds and, perhaps, have one fishing licence for the two beds from September to December, or from October to December or some time longer than the month of December as is now proposed for the public bed?

(Cavan-Monaghan): Strictly speaking that is a separate question but I was aware that there was some difference between this old and ancient fishery and the other oyster fisheries in the area. I have noted what the Deputy has said and I will ask BIM to take it into account.