§ MR. HUGH LAWTo ask the, Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) if he will state what is the total sum provided for the protection and development of Irish sea and inland fisheries, respectively, by the Fisheries Section of the Department of Agriculture.
(Answered by Mr. T. W. Russell.) By Section 16 (d) of The Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, the sum of £10,000 per annum is allocated from the Department's endowment fund for the purposes of sea fisheries. About half of that sum is at present required for sea-police duties. No special funds are set aside by the Act for the purposes of inland fisheries; but, out of the surplus remaining after the several applications of the endowment fund, as provided for in Section 16 of the Act, have been met, grants are made from time to time to boards of conservators in aid of inland fisheries, with the concurrence of the Agricultural Board.