The CIRCA group was commissioned last year to carry out a comprehensive strategic analysis of future directions for Irish aquaculture. The report was published last June and I fully concur with its analysis that sustainable development of the aquaculture industry makes sound economic sense in national and regional terms. The report recommends a range of strategies to achieve critical mass and value added in production, diversification into new species, best environmental practice, quality assurance and innovation. These are the key challenges which must be met if the aquaculture industry is to succeed in a very competitive international market for seafood.
The Government is fully committed to supporting the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. Funding of £25 million has been allocated under the two regional operational programmes to underpin investment strategies for the aquaculture sector up to 2006. This level of investment support, which is fully in line with the CIRCA finding, is more than double the funding available under the last round and underlines our commitment to realising the full potential of the sector. My Department, BIM, Údarás and the Marine Institute will continue to work with the industry to deliver on all the strategic priorities identified by the CIRCA report.
Work is under way to finalise the investment schemes under the regional operational programmes. These will underpin delivery of the targets and objectives of the strategic plan. I look forward to launching the schemes in the near future. In tandem with the investment support strategies, work is continuing to ensure that the licensing process delivers as effectively and speedily as possible. A solid licensing framework which has the confidence of the industry and all interested parties will continue to be a key priority.