asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the reason he has refused to meet a delegation from the central and regional fisheries boards; and if he will arrange to meet it as soon as possible.

I have not refused to meet a delegation from the Central or Regional Fisheries Boards. I am prepared to consider a request for a meeting at any time.

13.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if the Western Regional Fisheries Board have spent money to develop a driveway that was not their property or the property of the Central Fisheries Board and without the prior consent of the true owner; and if so, the amount involved.

The driveway leading to the Weir Lodge in Galway, where the headquarters of the Western Regional Fisheries Board are located, was resurfaced in 1981 by the board at a cost of £1,751. The board have a right-of-way over the driveway which before its resurfacing was in a poor state of repair.

Did they get the permission of the owner?

I understand that they got permission subsequent to the work being done. Everything is now in order.

Is it the case that this State body spend money on private property without the consent of the owner?

It was purchased by the Department subsequently. The right of way over this road was part of the deal when we purchased the lodge.

I am very familiar with the property. Did this State board spend money on improving private property without consulting the owner of the property? Does the Minister think that expenditure was appropriate and correct?

No objections to the resurfacing were raised by the owner of the property. It was felt that the expenditure was justified because the condition of the road was such that it was damaging State vehicles.

Is the Minister aware that there has been a dispute over this avenue and that on a previous occasion the fisheries board closed the gate and put a lock and chain on it, despite the fact that they did not own the avenue and had not consulted the owner? In view of the history of the use of this laneway by the fisheries board, does it not seem extraordinary that they should persist in behaving as if it was their own private property? It is indicative that they proceeded to tarmacadam it without consulting the owner. Is the Minister aware of the background?

I am not aware of the closing of a gate.

It was some years before the Minister's time.

I did not hear the amount it cost.

It was £1,751.

14.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if the Western Regional Fisheries Board made a special pay award to any staff member in late 1981 over and above any national pay agreement.

In 1981 the Western Regional Fisheries Board, with the approval of my Department, agreed to pay an allowance of £10 per week to one of their staff members for extra duties.

15.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the purchase price of the ex-British navy vessel bought in 1983 by the North Western Regional Fisheries Board; the amount that was spent on equipping the boat after arrival in Ireland; the firm that supplied the equipment; the number of tenders that were sought and received for this work; and the reason that an Irish-made vessel was not purchased.

I am informed that the price of the fishery patrol vessel purchased in 1983 by the North Western Regional Fisheries Board was £29,500 sterling.

In response to telephone requests made to a number of suppliers three tenders were received for the work of equipping the boat, which was given to Telstar, Castlebar. It is not the practice to disclose details of commercial transactions with individual firms.

The vessel was considered more suitable for fishery protection work at sea in terms of design, capability and price than any boat available in Ireland.

Is the Minister telling the House that it was not possible to have this type of boat built in Irish boatyards and that there was no suitable boat available in Irish waters to carry out this work?

That is what I have said.

Is it not an indictment of our boatyards that, according to what the Minister has said, we have not got people capable of building a craft of this kind and giving employment in our boatyards? Can the Minister say how many boatyards were consulted with a view to having this boat provided by them?

The only information available to me is that no suitable boat was available in Ireland. I am assuming that efforts were made in 1982 to purchase a boat in this country and that obviously there was no suitable craft available.

The Minister did not give a figure for re-equipping the boat. He gave a purchase price of £29,500. Can he give us the figure for re-equipping the boat?

£50,000?

I have not got that information available. I will let the Deputy have it later in the day if he wishes.

I assume that the Minister is talking in terms of £78,000——

I can now give the Deputy the information; it is £12,692 extra.

Well at least the board dealt with an Irish firm in that case.

In the Deputy's own consitituency.

Would the Minister accept that the board flouted all authority by going outside the country to purchase a boat which could have been found within the country had they gone about their task properly and consulted our boatyards? Would the Minister accept that it is not complimentary to the people working in our boatyards?

The Minister has answered the question.

Would the Minister say what size is the boat in question, what use it was put to and whether it is still in operation?

I have not got the details of the type of boat it is. All I know is that it is used for protection purposes, has a crew of four, is now in full-time use and, I understand, is proving very effective.

Is it not a fact that it is just a 40-foot boat and surely to God there are boatyards in the country capable of building a 40-foot boat?

I would accept that too.

The Deputy can make a speech about that some time but it is not a question.

I might add that BIM do not own boatyards.

But they repossess boats in their possession.

May I ask the Minister if it is true that An Bord Iascaigh Mhara have re-possessed boats which could easily have been purchased for the £40,000 to £50,000 spent on this boat, thereby obviating the necessity to purchase a boat which was not built in this country?

The North Western Regional Fisheries Board took a decision in the knowledge that they were doing the right thing, I presume, and purchased the kind of boat they felt was necessary for a job.

With a crew of four?

I understand that they looked for such a boat in this country and failed to get a suitable craft.