Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2017
441. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made in respect of an appeal against a decision to grant an aquaculture licence (details supplied); the reason correspondence issued by this Deputy to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board to query same has yet to be answered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14859/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB) has statutory functions assigned to it in accordance with the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997. The function of the Board is to provide an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on aquaculture licence applications. A person aggrieved by a decision of the Minister on an aquaculture licence application, or by the revocation or amendment of an aquaculture licence, may make an appeal within one month of publication (in the case of a decision) or notification (in the case of revocation/amendment).
Section 56 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 provides that the Bord should endeavour to determine an appeal within a period of four months beginning on the date of the receipt of the appeal. In the event that the appeal is not determined within this time because of the particular circumstances of an appeal there is provision in the Act to extend this period. The Board will inform (in writing) parties and persons of the reasons why the appeal would not be determined within that period and shall specify the date before which, or the period within which, the Board intends that the appeal shall be determined.
