Switch fisheries HQ to Down, MP tells top officials

Switch fisheries HQ to Down, MP tells top officials

28 November 2012

A CALL has been issued for the Department of Agriculture’s Fisheries Division to be based in South Down.

All services provided by the government department are due to transfer from their current base at Dundonald House in Belfast to Ballykelly in the north west of the Province as part of a major relocation initiative.

But South Down MP Margaret Ritchie argues the fisheries division should move to her constituency which is home to the fishing ports of Ardglass and Kilkeel and next door to the port of Portavogie in the Strangford constituency.

Miss Ritchie said moving the fisheries division to Ballykelly would mean departmental staff would be 100 miles away form the port of Kilkeel, describing this as a “matter of concern.”

“Staff based in Ballykelly would face a 200-mile round trip to view at first hand any issues or difficulties which arise in the three local ports,” she continued.

“For those within the industry and those representing its interests, Ballykelly is an unacceptable and unmanageable distance to travel.

“ Moving the division to Ballykelly under the banner of decentralisation defies common sense.”

The South Down MP said the objective of decentralisation is to open up access to government departments, reduce travel time/expenses and improve the home and work life balance for staff.

She revealed she has discussed her proposal to have the fisheries division located in South Down with Dr. Malcolm McKibben, the head of the Civil Service.

Miss Ritchie also plans to discuss the issue with Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and other government officials.

“Decentralisation was designed to improve access to government departments, not take them further away from their areas of delivery and responsibility,” the MP declared.