Marine central to national strategy, FG meeting told

Government policymakers are over-reliant on "Dublin-based economic commentators" who are not aware of the unbalanced nature of current development, a leading economist has warned.

Any administration which is serious about balanced regional development as part of a national spatial strategy must recognise that the marine sector is a "key part of the solution," Jim Power, chief economist at Friends First told a Fine Gael conference.

Serious pressures on the fishing industry, the demise of agriculture and loss of jobs in manufacturing are posing "huge challenges" to the rural Irish economy, Mr Power told the conference in Furbo, Co Galway.

The economy was too dependent on the construction sector, the success of which was "putting an overly positive gloss on national statistics", he said. A "parallel and sustainable economy" was required and it was essential policies were put in place to plan for this, he said.

"Most economic commentators live in Dublin, policymakers rely on their key focus on financial services and the multinational side of the economy, and areas like tourism, agriculture and fisheries don't attract any real attention in spite of their vital importance to rural areas," he said.

It was time for the Government to devise a management regime which would allow a potentially vibrant industry to exist and regain its strength, Art Kavanagh, chairman of the Allied Irish Banks marine and fishing steering group, said.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said his party would, if successful at the next general election, introduce a system of administrative penalties for minor fishery offences as an amendment to the new Sea Fisheries Bill. Party marine spokesman John Perry said Fine Gael would focus on industry development plan and organisation restructuring.