Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2016
70. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will release the accident report on the loss of 230,000 salmon at Gerahies in County Cork on 1 February 2014, given that the final report was due at the end of August 2014, according to the file examined by the Information Commissioner. [2616/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra71. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why it has taken almost two years so far to produce a report on the loss of 230,000 salmon at Gerahies in County Cork on 1 February 2014 which may contain significant urgent safety issues for the marine environment and which he informed this Deputy on 4 March 2014 was a priority. [2617/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra72. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the date on which the report of the Gerahies salmon loss accident was completed and sent to him; the decision-making process; and the purposes of which this report was prepared. [2618/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra73. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that he has now given the same reasons for refusing to release the interim draft reports on the loss of 230,000 salmon at Gerahies in County Cork on 1 February 2014 that were annulled by the Information Commissioner in July 2015 in relation to the first draft report; and if this represents best practice in dealing with requests under the relevant legislation. [2619/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra74. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an independent dive survey was undertaken after the loss of 230,000 salmon at Gerahies in County Cork on 1 February 2014 before he gave permission to restock the salmon production site. [2620/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 70 to 74, inclusive, together.
My Department’s examination of the damage to structures at the aquaculture site in Bantry Bay referred to by the Deputy is ongoing. This examination is detailed and involves all engineering, scientific, environmental and technical matters associated with the incident. An initial draft of the report is nearing completion but will need to be the subject of final examination by my Department’s technical and scientific advisors before consideration can be given to publication. This examination by technical and scientific advisors is currently underway.
In relation to the release of draft elements of my Department’s examination, the information covered by the decision of the Commissioner for Environmental Information, referred to by the Deputy, was released by my Department on 14 September, 2015. All requests for the release of information are considered by my Department strictly in accordance with applicable legislation, available legal advice, and the fullest adherence to best administrative practice.
A surface and underwater inspection of all cage components on the site referred to by the Deputy was commissioned by my Department and conducted in March, 2014, well in advance of the re-stocking of the site.
