The Deputy will be aware from my previous reply to Question No. 159 of 19 February 2004 that my Department is working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland and respective legal advisers to design 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 soon as practicable.
As I further explained to the Deputy in that reply, the legislation is complex and needs to provide for the licensing and control of aquaculture, including a full appeals process, fish health matters and 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 ensure that the Loughs Agency can fulfil its responsibilities under the British-Irish Agreement Acts to develop and license aquaculture in Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough in a fully sustainable way.
Efforts continue by my Department to finalise the drafting of that part of the Foyle Carlingford Fisheries Bill for which the Department has responsibility so as to facilitate publication by the end of this year.
