Navy to lose power to fire across fishing boats

THE Government is to remove the power of the Navy to fire across the bows of fishing boats, under new amendments to the controversial Sea Fisheries Bill.

The legislation, designed to tackle the problem of over-fishing in Ireland and to amend flaws in the existing act that were identified in two Supreme Court judgments, has proved highly contentious since it was published last year.

Its passage through the Dáil has been delayed by opposition parties (with the exception of the Greens, who support it) and Government backbenchers.