Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 May 2019
142. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will initiate discussions with Inland Fisheries Ireland to strengthen his role in salmon farm licensing in view of his recent decision to revoke a salmon farm licence and the other ongoing investigations by his Department into licence breaches. [21184/19]
View answerAquaculture Licensing is regulated by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act (where applicable) and relevant National and EU legislation.
The licence application procedure includes a period of public and statutory consultation. Inland Fisheries Ireland is a full statutory consultee. Decisions in respect of aquaculture licence applications are only taken following full consideration of all views submitted as part of the statutory and public consultation process. The licence application process is designed to strike a balance between the rights and obligations of all parties including the applicant(s), statutory consultees, relevant NGOs and the general public. I am satisfied that the current licensing system meets all of these requirements.
