I move amendment No. 7:
In page 10, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following:
"(c) require applicants to give notice of the application by the erection or fixing of a site notice which shall be easily visible and legible by persons using the nearest public road,".
The Minister of State referred to amendment No. 7 in his reply to an earlier amendment and proffered a number of reasons for not accepting it. Given that he stated the procedures for the allocation of aquaculture licences would be based on the general system applied under the terms of the An Bord Pleanála legislation, I thought it would be appropriate that a similar requirement to that which applies in respect of applications for planning permission should apply to aquaculture licences.
I note the Minister of State's argument against this proposal but I recall tabling a similar amendment in the 1970s when the An Bord Pleanála legislation was debated in the House. That amendment was rejected by the then Minister for the Environment, as were subsequent amendments to other legislation dealing with planning. However, in recent times, it has become usual to see notices covered with strong plastic for protection against the elements placed in prominent positions on sites and in fields to inform local people that there is an intention to undertake developments. Members of the public are thereby given the opportunity to inspect plans relating to such developments, make comments and raise objections if they so desire. People are now provided with more adequate notification than was previously given by way of public notices in newspapers.The new system has proven very effective.
A number of years ago, a previous Minister for the Environment rejected an amendment which dealt with planning matters and which was similar to that under discussion. However, the relevant legislation was subsequently amended. Even though the Minister of State may choose to reject amendment No. 7, it may become law in the future. Why not accept it now as a reasonable proposition?
Aquaculture developments, because of their nature, will be located on the more remote parts of the coastline to which it is difficult to gain access. People living in such areas do not always have access to newspapers. There should be a requirement that a notice must be erected on roads approaching the shoreline from where a development will be serviced, given that there is usually a point from where goods, feed, equipment, etc., are transported to the location at sea and where support facilities, such as sheds for storing meal and maintaining equipment and spares, are situated. It would be reasonable to require interested parties to erect a notice similar to a planning application notice in locations where it is proposed to construct buildings to service possible aquaculture developments so that people could be alerted. These developments will be situated in remote areas and every effort should be made to inform local people of their planned construction. Amendment No. 7 would be a good way to achieve this.