§ MR. CHARLES DEVLINI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the fishermen of Ballinloughane, Galway, who have been prevented from fishing by officers of the Galway Fishery, have hitherto been allowed to fish in waters now forbidden to them; whether such waters are outside the powers of the Galway Fishery; and whether, seeing that the action of the Ballinloughane fishermen in fishing where they did had the approval of Commandant Holmes, of the Naval Reserve Battery at Renmore, who examined their nets and found them in compliance with the regulations, he will issue instructions to have restored to the fishermen of Ballinloughane the rights of which they have been deprived.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI stated the facts, as known to the Department, in reply to the Hon. Member's Question of May 22nd.‡ The Department have no knowledge whether the fact is as stated in the concluding paragraph. I am informed that the conservators will, at their meeting on Saturday next, consider the question of prosecuting the fishermen
† See page 989.‡ See (4) Debates cxlvi, 9801140 referred to for breaches of the fishery laws.
§ MR. CHARLES DEVLINIn view of the severe distress among these people, is it the intention of the Government to get their rights restored to them so that they can earn their living?
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am afraid I cannot answer that without notice.