Aquaculture Licence Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2015

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Ceisteanna (290)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

290. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of his recent statement on RTE radio that he was cautious regarding the salmon farming industry, and that he was seeking very detailed scientific and environmental advice on the Galway Bay licence application, if he will act responsibly and suspend licence decisions for all salmon farms, including applications for renewal of licences, and commission a fully independent scientific examination of the environmental effects of salmon farms. [10559/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Applications for aquaculture licences are considered by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act.

The assessment process takes full account of all national and EU legislative requirements and reflects the full engineering, scientific, environmental, legal and public policy aspects of each application. I can see no basis for suspending licence decisions which are based upon such a rigorous and legally sound assessment process.

The application by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) for an aquaculture licence for the cultivation of finfish in Galway Bay is under active consideration by my Department as part of the statutory process and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the application at this time.