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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Oct 1987

Vol. 374 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fish Farm Development.

4.

asked the Minister for the Marine the plans, if any, he has for co-ordinating a strategy for fish farm development; and the reason for the inordinate delays in processing licence applications.

The adoption of a coherent structured policy for fish farming is a priority for this Administration. I am at present finalising my plans for the co-ordination of fish farm development in that context. Preliminary to that has been a process of consultation with the interests involved, and the setting of targets for fish farm development. These were indicated recently in the national plan. The licensing applications are being processed and licences will be issued shortly in a manner calculated to achieve those objectives and the orderly development of fish farming.

While I appreciate fully the complexity of the problem which the Minister now has to tackle I would appreciate if he would outline what will be involved in his promised aquaculture development programme which he has spoken about publicly? Does he envisage a single development agency for this most important area which will co-ordinate environmental, tourist and other water-based interests into a particular plan for aquaculture and fish farming generally?

It is my intention to bring forward an aquaculture development programme at an early date, coupled with the issuing of licences, with a streamlining of the procedures for this development which to some extent has hampered the devleopment. As the Department now have responsibility for foreshore applications it is our intention to have a single foreshore aquaculture licensing arrangement which would eliminate some of the delays that have been experienced up to now. We have had close consultation with the Irish Aquacultural Association. It is our intention to set up, as part of the development plan, an advisory committee of representatives of the aquaculture industry to advise the Department in the overall policy area. The Deputy will also be aware that in the whole system of policing and protection of this important area very little, if anything, has been done and we are considering that matter in the context of the reorganisation of the fishery boards which I mentioned earlier.

Will the Minister put a time projection on the expected announcements? He must be aware, and I ask him whether he is aware, that there is a great number of applications for licences with his Department at present and for a variety of reasons they cannot be processed. The developers are getting frustrated and are going elsewhere. In many cases these applications apply to areas and coastlines that have little else to offer in the line of employment. Can the Minister tell us when we will have a full package to cater for the applications that are now in the Department, many of which are there for nearly a year and it looks as if they will be there for many more months before we will get an answer?

We are ready to proceed with the plan almost immediately. The Deputy will be aware that there are about 300 applications in the Department, two-thirds of which can be proceeded with forthwith. The areas have been designated——

Not the Connemara ones.

The remaining applications will be considered in the context of further devleopment bearing in mind that there are other issues constraining development such as the provision of water quality management plans in certain areas. It would be my intention to proceed almost immediately with the issue of licences. We have been in discussion with the association about a licensing system, how it will operate and the charges for such a licensing system. As I have said, the whole question of policing, management and the control over that arrangement——

What about Bantry Bay?

It is our intention to increase, over a a period of time, the output in the aquaculture area from about 12,000 tonnes at present to about 40,000 tonnes and to increase the value of aquaculture output from the present £7 million or £8 million to about £75 million.

Arising from the Minister's reply in which he mentioned that his Department have now taken responsibility for the issue of licences as they affect the foreshore, is he satisfied that the legal obstacles — indeed constitutional obstacles in the absence of foreshore legislation — which have prevented the issue of licences can or will be met? In developing his plan does he propose to change the forms of public hearings so as to allow, for example, greater public access to and knowledge of applications in certain areas? Is he willing to give special preference to cooperatives which have been democratically organised? Has he been able to address the issue of the reconciliation of aquaculture with other water activities? At present to become involved in aquaculture one has to get involved with four Government Departments, semi-State agencies and local authorities. Will this be rectified in time for his plan to be put in place?

These are the main issues that will be covered in the aquaculture development plan. As the Deputy knows, some of these are fundamental questions and it is not always easy to reconcile some of the conflicting interests in the various areas. Overall there is a general recognition that there is, within the present arrangement, an opportunity for balanced development in each area. There is no need for the type of conflict that has arisen in some of the areas. In fact, there may be a contradiction in some of what the Deputy is suggesting. If we were to give more detailed exposure to some of these applications this might frustrate the prospect of some of the developments ever taking place.

Will the Minister agree that the present system of exhibiting notices of public hearings in relation to the granting of licences in Garda stations in remote areas is not a modern method of displaying a notice to people who may find themselves obstructed in the future by the giving of what might be an irrevocable licence? I am interested in whether the clear parameters for the granting of licences will be presented to the House before we have a plethora of licences on different criteria around the foreshore granted. I am anxious to be of assistance to the Minister in this regard. It is a matter of public concern.

I can submit for the Deputy's information a list of the areas which have been designated already and where it is proposed to issue licences. The matters to which the Deputy refers have delayed us to some extent in proceeding with the development plan. These will be addressed in the development plan which I propose to publish shortly, indicating not only some of the issues the Deputy is concerned about but also the size of the project which can be undertaken and the distance between individual projects. There are a number of issues in the development plan which we hope to cover and which I think will deal adequately with the situation.

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