§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the damage to the local fishing interests and to the trans-Atlantic cables off Ballinskellig's Bay, county Kerry, caused by steam trawlers, he will introduce a bye-law preventing fishing by steam trawlers from the outermost point of the Great Blasket to the outermost point of the Great Skellig, and thence on to the Bull and Calf Rocks; and whether he can arrange to have this portion of the coast patrolled by two steamers during the months of April, May, June, and July, whilst the mackerel boats are fishing?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere is no power to made a fishery bye-law with the object of protecting telegraph cables. A bye-law made in the interests of the fisheries and prohibiting steam trawling during the months of April, May, and June is in force in the area referred to. The cruiser belonging to the Department of Agriculture will, patrol the prohibited area as frequently as possible during the months mentioned.