Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 23 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 6

Written Answers. - Aquaculture Licences.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

47 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the way in which the new licensing framework for aquaculture takes into consideration the compatibility of other local interests and local economic activity; the mechanism, if any, in place to accommodate individuals or small community groups who wish to put forward their case against the aquaculture industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16040/99]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The aquaculture licensing arrangements now in place under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997, involve extensive public consultation and an independent appeals mechanism.

All licence applications must be publicly advertised including the publication of a full environmental impact statement in the case of all salmon farm development, and objections to and submissions on the applications must be carefully considered in consultation with the applicants before licensing decisions are made. The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, the Marine Institute, Bord Fáilte Éireann, An Taisce, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Commissioners of Irish Lights, the Central Fisheries Board, the relevant regional fisheries board and local and harbour authority are formally consulted by my Department on licence applications, as required by the relevant regulations, and their responses are carefully considered before licensing decisions are made. Applications for licences generally are considered on a day by day basis so as to take account of all relevant factors.

Licensing decisions are governed in particular by section 61 of the 1997 Act, which specifies key matters to be taken into account, such as competing beneficial uses of the areas sought for the proposed aquaculture, the likely ecological and environmental effects of the proposed aquaculture and the likely effects of that aquaculture on the local economy and on the heritage value of the area in question. All licensing decisions, except those for trial licences, must be publicly advertised so as to enable applicants and other interested persons to appeal the decisions to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board if they should so wish. The board is equally governed by section 61 of the 1997 Act in making its own decisions on appeals. Trial licences are not appealable because of their short-term duration and experimental nature.