Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
with officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with advice from New-
ERA on the proposed sale of a minority stake in the Electricity Supply Board; and his rationale
for standing by the sale if it is the considered opinion of his own senior civil servants that such
a sale would not be financially beneficial to the taxpayer. [7890/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): Two
Inter-Departmental groups were established in 2011, one to consider the best approach in
achieving a part-sale of ESB, including energy policy, regulatory, legal, financial and economic
considerations, and a second group to examine other possible disposal candidates in order to
inform any further decisions that the Government may wish to make. Both of these groups
reported in December, 2011. While these reports have been considered and discussed by relevant
Ministers and by the Economic Management Council, they have not yet been considered
by the Government as a whole.
I expect that the issue of disposal of state assets will be considered shortly by the Government
and full account of the above mentioned reports will be taken in the deliberations of Government.
It is not intended to publish either of the reports as they both contain highly sensitive
commercial information in relation to the assets in question.
Inland Fisheries
398. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural
Resources if he will address the problem of net fishing on the River Nore which is severely
reducing the fish stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7065/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): A
licensed snap net fishery operates on the River Nore. This fishery has operated for several
hundred years. The snap net fishery is allocated a percentage of the total available catch
(available salmon surplus). The division of the total available catch between the snap net fishery
and the rod and line fishery is determined after consultation with the District Committee, which
includes commercial fishery representatives, salmon rod angling representatives and rated occupier
representatives.
In 2011 the total available catch was divided equally between the snap net fishery and the
rod and line fishery and 32 snap net licences were issued on the River Nore. The snap nets are
only allowed catch a maximum of the total available catch allocated to them. Each salmon
caught has to be tagged as per the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Regulations. The snap
net fishery is closely monitored by officers of Inland Fisheries Ireland to ensure compliance
with the Regulations.
399. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural
Resources if eel fishermen in the Suir Estuary will receive compensation following the closure
of commercial eel fishing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7064/12]
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): The
2007 EU Eel regulation (1100/2007), drafted in response to the endangered status of the European
Eel, required EU States, including Ireland, to develop an Eel Management Plan.
Based on the scientific facts available, a recommendation of this plan was that Ireland close
both the commercial and recreational eel fisheries in 2008. Bye-laws, Conservation of Eel
Fishing Bye-law No. C.S. 303, 2009 and Conservation Of Eel Fishing (Prohibition On Issue Of
Licences) Bye-law No. 858, 2009, were signed by the then Minister in 2009 prohibiting the
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