Vol. 573 No. 4
252 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to a boat licence for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25661/03]
The independent licensing authority established under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 has had to suspend the processing of sea-fishing boat licence applications. This unavoidable delay arose initially from the need for clarification with regard to a new EU fleet management policy and more recently from the consequent need to introduce a new national licensing policy. The licensing authority is not in a position to decide on licence applications in respect of the fleet segment to which the licence application in question relates in the absence of a new licensing policy in this regard.
253 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position in relation to a boat licence for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25662/03]
The independent licensing authority established under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 2003 has had to suspend the processing of sea-fishing boat licence applications. This unavoidable delay arose initially from the need for clarification with regard to a new EU fleet management policy and more recently from the consequent need to introduce a new national licensing policy. The licensing authority is not in a position to decide on licence applications in respect of the fleet segment to which the licence application in question relates in the absence of a new licensing policy in this regard.
I am currently finalising a new overall licensing policy following consultations with the fishing industry. My officials presented revised policy proposals to the sea-fishing boat licensing policy review group on 22 October. A further meeting of the group was held on 30 October to hear its views on these new proposals. The revised policy proposals were also placed on the Department's website with a request for written observations by an extended deadline of noon yesterday, 4 November. Following consideration of all the views expressed, and nothing unforeseen arising, I intend to finalise the new policy very quickly, possibly within a matter of days. This will enable the licensing authority to rapidly proceed with consideration of licence applications for vessels in the fleet segment to which the application in question relates. The licensing authority should, therefore, be in a position to process the licence application in the particular case raised by the Deputy very soon after the introduction of the new policy.
