Senator Victor Boyhan has called for Minister Eamon Ryan to make a Statement on the Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) 'Organisation in Crisis.'
Speaking in the Seanad this morning Senator Victor Boyhan said serious questions have to be asked and answered about the corporate governance and oversight of the IFI.
As Afloat reported earlier, Inland Fisheries Ireland Board has been dissolved after resignations left it without a quorum.
IFI enforces fisheries legislation, sets conservation limits for salmon and sea trout fisheries and issues fishing licenses and permits.
Boyhan acknowledged that in a previous contribution to the Seanad (November 2022) that Senator Sean Kyne had raised a red flag about the IFI.
Boyhan said, “I would, however, stop short in saying that the IFI organisation is ‘rotten and corrupt’ until we hear the full story from all sides, and it is for that reason I am calling on Minister Ryan to come into the Seanad and make a statement and to facilitate a question and answers session on the current operational situation within IFI.
Senator Boyhan expressed concern about the five resignations from the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland and the subsequent removal of the remaining board members on a no-fault basis by Minister Eamon Ryan's Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
Senator Boyhan said he was aware that there was an Oversight Agreement and Performance Delivery Agreement in place in line with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, and that there is also a Code of Business conduct for the Board of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
“So, the questions have to be asked and answered around responsibility, accountability, allocation of budgets and resources and personnel. It is also important that issues around integrity, transparency, public concern and loss of confidence are addressed by the Minister”.
“The issue of potential conflicts of interest, whether actual or perceived also needs to be addressed. Boyhan said he was particularly interested to hear from the Minister that those involved in protected disclosures have been given sufficient support and assistance at this time”.