Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House. It is his first time in the Chamber and we are delighted to see him. I understand he will return in a number of weeks to talk about fisheries and perhaps agriculture.

The legislation before the House makes much general sense. Its purpose is to simplify the administrative procedures associated with the whole process of foreshore licensing. The 2009 Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Act to which the Minister referred provided for the process of co-operation between the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in regard to the administration of foreshore licences. That Act, which amended previous legislation, provided for, as the Minister noted, consultation between both Departments and both Ministers. Would it be right to assume that the co-ordination system established between both Departments at the time did not work as effectively as perhaps it should have? Is that the reason for the introduction of new legislation now? Perhaps the consultation between the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food proved not to be as successful as had been anticipated, resulting in the introduction of this new streamlined legislation to try to fast-track the process. If that is the reason, it is welcome.

As I understand it, a foreshore co-ordination unit was established in the Minister's departmental office in Clonakilty, the purpose of which was to manage and co-ordinate the consultation process referred to under the 2009 legislation. The applications received for foreshore licences were referred to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the advice of the Minister's Department was requested when they related to marine or fisheries projects. The new legislation is probably a further step towards improving the entire process associated with foreshore licensing. Recently I was interested to learn, arising from a parliamentary question in the other House, that currently 24 foreshore applications in respect of aquaculture or fisheries related projects are being processed in the Minister's Department. Does that figure include all the other foreshore licences?