HC Deb 13 May 1909 vol 4 cc2022-3
Mr. ROBERT HARCOURT

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what is the attitude of the Irish Government towards the Trawling in Prohibited Areas (Prevention) Bill in its present form?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL

I propose to confer with my right hon. Friend the Lord Advocate with a view to securing the application of the Trawling in Prohibited Areas (Prevention) Bill to Ireland.

Mr. CATHCART WASON

Is the right hon. Gentleman ware that the Lord Advocate gave an assurance that the Bill would be very greatly altered from its present form, and would be confined to definite areas?

Mr. RUSSELL

I am not aware of that, but I propose to confer with the Lord Advocate in order, if possible, to have the application of the Bill extended to Ireland.

Mr. H. A. WATT

Is the right hon. Gentleman willing to risk the safety of the Bill in order to bring in Ireland?

Mr. MOONEY

Do I understand that the Government will give facilities to recommit the Bill in order to have this done?

Mr. RUSSELL

No; my hon. Friend must not understand that I said what I did not say. What I propose to do is to confer with the Lord Advocate to see what it is possible to do.

Mr. T. M. HEALY

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether we ought to get two millions' worth of legislation in order to balance two extra millions' worth of taxation?

Mr. ASHLEY

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether the Department has taken any steps to prosecute, under section 4 of 52 and 53 Vic, c. 74, the masters of foreign-owned steam trawlers selling or landing fish caught in contravention of the bye-laws made by the Department or by the late inspectors of Irish fisheries?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL

The reply to this question is in the negative. Such fish is not landed in Ireland.

Mr. ASHLEY

asked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that on 9th January, 1908, His Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland declined to approve a bye-law proposed by the Department on the ground that it prohibited trawling in extra-territorial waters; and whether he will take steps to secure the exclusion of extraterritorial waters from the present prohibited areas?

Mr. T. W. RUSSELL

The Department are not informed of the reasons why the Lord Lieutenant in Council declines to approve of bye-laws. In the opinion of the Department no necessity at present exists for taking the steps suggested in the latter part of the question.