Timmy Dooley will have to deal with a bit of 'political split personality' in his dual appointment as Minister of State to the ranks of Government administration. He will be expected to make a strong impact in both the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
At Agriculture, Food and the Marine he has been given responsibility for Fisheries, an industry with a great lot of problems which will require huge effort to deal with.
At Environment, Climate and Communications he has been given responsibility for Marine, which also says something about the 'split political' approach of the Government itself, putting the Marine into two Departments.
But there's nothing really new in that approach – aspects of the Marine have been split up in Government administration for many years since a dedicated Department of the Marine was shut down – in an island nation dependent on the maritime sector for its exports and imports.
His appointment has been widely welcomed in the fishing industry where its problems span both Departments. The impact of wind farm developments on the industry – ORE (Offshore Renewable Energy) – is a major issue.
"We have two Ministers now," said John Lynch, Chief Executive of the Irish South and East Fish Producers' Organisation. (Martin Heydon is the senior Minister in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Timmy Dooley is a Junior – Minister of State there and in Environment, Climate and Communications. "We congratulate both Ministers and we will have to work closely with both of them and we hope they come prepared to be fully involved in the industry and to increase the level of consultation and co-operation with the POs."
Issues that will immediately face Minister of State Dooley include the sustainability of the fishing fleet, of fish stocks, revising the EU Common Fisheries Policy which has caused huge damage to the Irish fishing fleet and a national framework agreement and compensation for the seafood industry for potential negative impacts from the development of offshore renewable energy.
"The fishing and seafood sectors have had a very rough time with serious effects on the people dependent upon it and who work in it. The fishing industry is still at a very low level and just starting to look for a way out of the serious consequences facing it," said Mr. Lynch.
In the general marine industry, ports have been looking for a clear strategy for the future and the impact of marine protected areas on leisure activities is at yet unknown. There is also the Coast Guard and its future. There will have to be meetings and discussions with many and varied groups, including non-governmental environment organisations whose demands are, on a number of maritime issues, in contrast with various marine groups.
Digital Mapping for marine resources is also an area of Timmy Dooley's Ministerial responsibilities.
The appointments of two Ministers with marine responsibilities deliver on pre-General Election promises by the Coalition Government parties.
Delivering on the promises by action is now what will be awaited.
Minister Dooley is a seasoned Fianna Fáil politician, having been first elected to the Dáil from Clare in 2007, losing his seat in 2020 and, after being a Senator, re-elected in November's General Election. In 2019 he was involved in the controversy about Dáil voting when a colleague cast votes on his behalf when he was absent. When Fianna Fáil was in Opposition he had roles as party spokesman in the Dáil on Transport, Tourism, Sport, Climate Action and Communications.
