Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019
589. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 458 of 1 May 2018, when the issue will be resolved; when applicants will be informed about their applications as suggested by him in the briefing note supplied in June 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3736/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn tandem with my announcement at the Our Ocean Wealth conference, my Department wrote to all applicants for hand harvesting of seaweed, clarifying the legal position on appurtenant and profit-à-prendre rights to harvest wild seaweed and the interaction of these rights with the applications received under the Foreshore Act.
My Department outlined that in order to consider an application to harvest wild seaweed, it is now necessary to incorporate into the process a mechanism whereby applicants undertake a search of the Land Registry folios in respect of the area of the foreshore for which they apply to harvest. They will need to identify the folios of all land bordering that part of the foreshore and, with the exception of urban land and housing estates, within one mile of the foreshore in question. It will be necessary to examine all such folios to ascertain if they contain any entries showing a right to take seaweed from that part of the foreshore. Applicants will also need to undertake adequate public consultation to ensure that those with profit-à-prendre are also aware of the application.
My Department is in regular contact with a number of applicants concerned and their representative bodies, and when the applicants carry out the necessary searches, their applications can be considered further.
