asked the Minister for the Marine if his Department are considering an involvement by the Department of the Environment in relation to fish farming at sea, with a view to the application of the Planning and Water Pollution Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fish Farming.
7.
There is regular consultation between my Department and the Department of the Environment on the question of pollution controls and water quality monitoring for aquaculture projects including fish farming at sea.
The Department of the Environment are consulted by my Department on all proposals for the designation of areas for aquaculture purposes and on all proposals by my Department to issue aquaculture licences. The Department of the Environment are also represented on the aquaculture advisory group which advises us on various applications for projects.
Under the terms of the Foreshore Act, 1933, I, as Minister for the Marine, am responsible for the effective planning controls over the State-owned foreshore which extends from the high water mark to the limit of our territorial waters in the area within which the Department of the Environment would not have responsibility. It will be seen that there is regular consultation, communication and dialogue between ourselves and the planning authorities.
Is the Minister aware that there is growing public concern about pollution at sea as a result of fish farming at sea? Furthermore, is he aware that many of those fears could be allayed if he were able to give stronger assurances to this House in relation to the degree of the monitoring process and consultation engaged in by his Department and the Department of the Environment? While there are proposals to site fish farms at sea there is a certain amount of nervousness felt by local and, in some cases, extended communities which is causing certain problems in those areas. Could the Minister clarify the position for the benefit of the House and the public at large?
Much of the difficulty arises from misinformed comment about projects and applications even in cases where licences have not been granted. I might give one example: recently in Roundstone there was much public criticism of a project which had not been licensed by me. If people would take the trouble to check either with the Department of the Environment — who have planning responsibility—or with ourselves—who are charged with the responsibility of issuing licences—frequently they would find that some of their complaints were totally unfounded. The reality is that there is a double safeguard obtaining, in that while my Department have responsibility for the issuing of licences — each application being carefully evaluated from the point of view of scientific and environmental considerations, with public inquiries being held before designation takes place, and people are given opportunities to express their views about such matters — there is the added safeguard that, in the case of many applications, detailed planning permission is required by a local authority. Therefore, there should not be any necessity for much of the adverse criticism there has been in recent times, especially in relation to applications that have not even being approved.