Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2017
368. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 295 of 24 October 2017, when the attention of the Marine Institute attention was drawn to a major disease outbreak at a site (details supplied); and the reason the institute did not make this information available to the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board oral hearing in September 2017. [47816/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has been advised by the Marine Institute that the Institute first became aware of a disease outbreak at the site referred to by the Deputy on 27 March 2017. The disease agent in question is a pathogen that is not listed in the European Union as a reportable pathogen of international concern.
A report was not made to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board Oral Hearing in September 2017 as the Marine Institute is charged solely with the implementation of Statutory Instrument No. 261 of 2008 and there is no requirement under that legislation to inform the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board of such occurrences.
Procedures in respect of the making of submissions to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board are set out in the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act. No requests were received by the Marine Institute from the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board in respect of disease outbreaks on aquaculture sites in the area and accordingly no submission was made to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board in that regard. It should also be noted that the Marine Institute was not a party to the appeal in question.
