Vol. 498 No. 1
90 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to applications for mussel farming in Dunmanus Bay, County Cork; if his attention has been drawn to the high level of opposition to these proposals by the majority of local people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25744/98]
My Department is at present processing eight applications for aquaculture licences to engage in mussel farming in Dunmanus Bay. The applications are being considered in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997. This legislation, and regulations made under it, provide a thorough and fully transparent mechanism for the processing of aquaculture licence applications. The legislation provides that the legitimate interests of all parties who may be affected by any proposed aquaculture operations are fully taken into account in the licensing process.
Following initial scrutiny of the applications by the Department, the public consultation process was initiated and the views of a number of relevant agencies were formally requested. These included: The Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands; An Bord Iascaigh Mhara; The Marine Institute; Cork County Council; Bord Fáilte; the Central Fisheries Board; the South Western Regional Fisheries Board; the Commissioners of Irish Lights, and An Taisce. The general public was informed of the proposed operations by advertisements placed in local newspapers which advised that detailed maps of the proposed operations were available for inspection in the local Garda station. The advertisements also invited interested parties to make submissions or observations to my Department on the proposals if they so wished.
A number of submissions have been received in the Department and have been referred to the applicants for comment. The submissions received and the responses of the applicants will be carefully considered before any decision is made in relation to the grant of licences. As the Deputy may also be aware, under the terms of the current legislation, there is a statutory obligation to publish all licensing decisions. Within a period of one calendar month of publication, any person may appeal a decision, either to grant or to refuse a licence, to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, an independent board established under the legislation to consider and rule upon appeals which may be lodged against licence decisions.
