BIM spending tax payers money wisely?

GALWAY BAY AGAINST SALMON CAGES PRESS RELEASE


Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages (GBASC) became aware over the last 12 months that a private Corporate Consultancy firm called Keating & Associates had been sending strongly worded letters to various media editors on behalf of Bord Eascaigh Mhara (BIM) in relation to their papers coverage of the Galway Bay salmon farm proposal. (Please check 5 documents from BIM and 2 from GBASC below)

GBASC believe that these letters are an attempt by BIM to stifle debate on the Galway Bay and other proposed mega salmon farms.

GBASC are astonished that BIM with all their highly paid staff, some of whom are earning in excess of 100,000 euro couldn't find someone within their ranks to give communications advice and write a small number of letters to the media at a cost to the tax payer of 143,239 euro. It is puzzling to GBASC why Keating & Associates were asked to write these letters, as to our knowledge they have no experience in salmon farming.

GBASC are also shocked to learn that BIM have spent 685,000 euro on Consultants in 2014 to progress their plans. This seems to be an exorbitant sum to be paying to Consultants when BIM claim to be the experts in this area. BIM seems to have access to a bottomless pit of money, and unquestioning support from the Minister to push their mega salmon farm on an unwilling population.
In 2009 An Bord Snip Nua recommended that '' BIMs remaining functions should be carried out in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (D/AF&F) in a dedicated section Rather then maintaining a separate organisation with accompanying overheads and BIM should be formally abolished. ''
GBASC believe that the implementation of this recommendation is long overdue.

GBASC are asking any other media outlet that may have received similar letters in relation to salmon farming from any agency/Government Department, to please let us know.

Billy Smyth

Chairman, Galway Bay Against Salmon Cages,

10 Colemans Rd,

Shantalla,

Galway

Phone 0863511628.

That is crazy. Wish I was at home to do more. But have signed everything there is to sign online and in person at the fishing show last Feb.

the fish are going to china, the profits to a norwegian company and all us eejits in galway get is about 50cm of sludge all over the barren bay while subsidising it - great deal!