Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 November 2004
94 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when legislation to licence aquaculture on Lough Foyle will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas in view of the fact that commitments were made in 1994 and 1995 that such legislation would be forthcoming within three months; if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay; and the timescale for moving the badly needed legislation forward. [29529/04]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware from my previous replies to Parliamentary Question No. 159 of 19 February 2004 and Parliamentary Question No. 159 of 16 June 2004 that my Department is working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland and respective legal advisers to draft the necessary legislation to enable the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, FCILC, to, inter alia, exercise its functions in relation to aquaculture.
As I further explained to the Deputy in those replies, the drafting of this legislation is a complex task. Provision must be made for the licensing and control of aquaculture, including an appeals process and fish health matters. The proposed legislation must also address jurisdictional issues, including access to courts North and South in respect of offences committed in a cross-Border context. The aim is to ensure that the resulting framework will enable the Loughs Agency to fulfil its responsibilities under the British Irish Agreement Act to develop and licence aquaculture in Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough in a fully sustainable way.
My officials are engaged in an intensive series of meetings with all parties involved with a view to resolving all outstanding issues as soon as possible. I assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to facilitate the publication of the necessary legislation by the end of this year.
