SHRFB Coarse Angling Permit

Parlimentary Debate in Dáil Éireann 19th February 2003
(The following is an extract taken from the Debates of the Houses of the Oireachtas for 19/2/03. The extract chosen concentrates mainly on the Shrfb permit. To view the complete debate which included the issue of the permit, goto www.irlgov.ie)

Mr. Penrose: "Deputy Cassidy is a businessman involved in the tourism sector, who knows much more about the area than I do. The 1% increase in VAT seems to have an impact on tourism, hotels and food. It also feeds into inflation. Tourism is very important for the midlands. Westmeath is the lake county of the midlands and we invite everybody to send people there. We hope to have more attractions in the future. Deputy Cassidy lives beside Fore, one of the most beautiful places in the country. We have Clonmacnoise to the south, Belvedere, which we are very proud of as a tourist centre in Mullingar, brilliant equestrian centres, golf clubs and lakes for fishing.

There were 173,000 anglers of all types in 1994. At a time when we are trying to bring tourists in for angling, this has reduced to about 81,000 in 2002. It is critical to develop the angling product, but the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board, which has among its aims to support and develop the angling product and enhance fish stocks, should realise that the customer is king. The information I am getting is there will be a reduction in the numbers of customers coming for course fishing. We need them for our hotels, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts. Deputy Cassidy is very familiar with Finea. This is critical income. The Deputy shares my view on this matter. Why was a compulsory €30 levy imposed?

Mr. Cassidy: It is a disgrace.

Mr. Penrose: It is one of the biggest own goals in our sport fishing history. The levy will cover pike and coarse angling on certain designated coarse fisheries and will, therefore, affect tourism operators. The peculiar aspect of this decision, about which Deputy Cassidy whose constituency is also in the heart of the BMW region will be aware, is that most, if not all the waters for which a fee will be necessary are located within the BMW region, an area designated by the European Union as severely disadvantaged in economic development and infrastructural investment, compared to the rest of the country and the EU. It is an unjust and unwise decision which amounts to a fishing licence in all but name. I call on the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board to reconsider the levy. The issue has received considerable media attention and is being raised with Deputy Cassidy and myself every day.

Wisdom must prevail in tourism. Agriculture is under threat in all areas. We have to expand into agri-tourism, fisheries and angling tourism, areas which would supplement incomes and keep people in rural areas. Rural Ireland is under threat. The country does not end at the Pale or Leixlip. If they are to survive, rural areas must receive a fair share of resources.

Mr. Hogan: I thank Deputy Penrose for sharing time on this important Finance Bill. I agree with most of his remarks on rural Ireland. Many of the issues he touched on are raised in all constituencies which have a strong base in agricultural tourism and fishing. He made some solid points which the Government should consider in the context of amendments on Committee Stage, particularly with regard to the €30 fee being charged to anglers and the 1% VAT imposed on tourism. The latter measure was a retrograde step as hotels have already set their price lists and completed their marketing job for 2003. It was poor timing to levy an increase in VAT of 1% at the end of 2002 as it will effectively remove 1% from the tourism sector's bottom line.

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