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Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries (Northern Ireland) Order 2007

I feel rather guilty, in so far as I had intended to pay considerably more attention to the order when it came forward. Unfortunately, other matters prevented me. However, I am particularly concerned that to facilitate the southern Government, almost as though it was a dictation, the final consultation period was curtailed from the normal 12 weeks to eight weeks. It may be that everything was settled and in order, but I do not have the same confidence as those who drafted the order appear to have in the Administration of the Irish Republic. The Minister will be aware that for some considerable time, amounting to years, I campaigned to encourage the authorities in the south to come into line with other North Atlantic nations in respect of banning drift netting for salmon. The Minister at that time, Pat the Cope Gallagher, resisted all persuasion, because, bluntly, he adopted a parochial approach, a Donegal approach, to the problem. I would like to be reassured that in respect of the preservation of fishing stocks in the sheltered waterways of Carlingford and Foyle, we will not be impeded by any reluctance on the part of the southern Government to play their full part. We all know the extent to which North Atlantic salmon stocks have diminished and also that Irish drift netting was increasing its catch when other northern European countries were endeavouring to reduce the damage being done. In that respect I hope that we shall have a categoric assurance from the Minister on the co-operation that we are likely to receive from the Irish Republic’s Government. In closing, I hope that the cross-border body that is being given responsibility will not be packed with what I shall crudely call ““yes”” men and women, but that its membership will comprise people who havea genuine knowledge of, and interest in, the conservation of fishing stocks.