Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I, like my colleague, welcome the Bill and do not intend to delay it going through the House. I wish to raise a number of points. We cannot under-estimate the potential of aquaculture and the amount of work done in that area. Some of the issues raised with us concern delays in processing foreshore licences in the Department. If this Bill goes any way towards speeding up that process, we must welcome it and ensure its passage.

Deputy Browne, referring to his time in the Department, noted that this area was moved incorrectly to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and is now back in its rightful place in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Again this week, as we were last week, we are tidying up issues that were left over from that process. It is important that at every hand's turn we acknowledge the work done on foreshore licences.

An issue I want to highlight in this regard is the harvesting of offshore wind and wave energy, which was raised in the Seanad earlier today. As we go forward, we must consider innovative ways of getting cheap energy into this country as well as into the world economy. Ireland has huge potential in offshore wind and wave energy. As procedures develop over time and applications are made, we must ensure the Departments which will grant and scrutinise these licences have their systems streamlined so that, if somebody has a huge commitment to one of these projects and is willing to put resources behind it, it is not delayed by bureaucracy. Over time, we have seen cases where onshore wind energy has been delayed due to bureaucratic nightmares and planning issues that have stifled badly needed development which would bring energy on to the national grid. It is important to remove any unnecessary bureaucracy.

During the last Dáil, one of the committees investigated the level of bureaucracy that was stifling not just this but other projects and considered the ways we could reduce bureaucracy within Departments and systems. If the Bill goes any way towards removing and streamlining any amount of bureaucratic legislation, and brings all of this process into one Department, it will be an important step. We have no problem with the Bill as bringing all the legislation under the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will ensure all of these issues are dealt with in one location. For too long, we have had a fragmented structure. I could point to other cases where issues fall under the remit of three or four Departments. For example, at an earlier stage, child care came under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Children, but it has now been streamlined. This is the direction we are taking, which I welcome.

To turn to the detail of the Bill, section 5 provides for the transfer of certain property and liabilities of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. This is the fundamental issue, in that the Bill is moving responsibilities back to where they rightfully belong.

If we consider how Government adapts to specific issues in the community, we may need to examine the work of Departments overall and the way they mirror what is happening in a particular industry, whether in regard to education or any other issue. For example, the nitrates directive wrongly comes under the remit of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Any issue related to agriculture or the fishing industries should be streamlined and put under the Department that has the title in regard to dealing with that issue, which would streamline the position for those who go out every day to work and provide employment and investment in those sectors. I welcome the Bill and hope it passes all Stages and is enacted for the betterment of the society we represent.

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