Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the representatives of the companies. As I am not a member of the joint committee, I did not receive the briefing materials until I arrived. I received some of them from Deputy Paudie Coffey. I come from the Connemara area of County Galway and accepting the ins and outs of what has happened, I want to see Aramara Teoranta grow and thrive and provide employment in the area. I equally want to see the traditional companies represented here to grow, thrive and flourish. I also want to see the traditional harvesters continue in their role and domestic harvesters being accommodated, whcih should be done without question. I hope all of these objectives are on the wish list and that they can be accommodated in terms of what will happen under the foreshore Bill.

A number of the representatives have talked about the need for regulation. When account is taken of the issues relating to EU regulations and Natura 2000 impact statements and while I know there is talk of co-operatives, do the representatives agree that it is beyond the financial ability of harvesters to apply for licences and publish appropriate assessments and that the common-sense approach would be for companies, whether it be those represented or others, to submit applications for licences? Mr. Melvin mentioned the role county councils could play and that the process could be undertaken on a county basis. If companies do not apply, who will apply?

On the specific issue of Aramara Teoranta's application, I presume all of the companies represented will make a submission when the application is published and that they will highlight the areas in which they have had an ongoing interest for many years, particularly Clew Bay and Sligo. I assume - perhaps this reflects innocence on my part - the foreshore section of the Department will take these issues on board in considering any application from another company, that it will state that in the case of Clew Bay there is a company with a licence and managing a business and that the same will apply to other areas. I cannot speak for those in the foreshore section, but that would make sense to me. I know from the discussions we had with the Minister a few weeks ago that it would have stated any application should include full mapping details.

Mr. O'Sullivan talked about the cutting method used and the need to ensure eight inches of growth. Surely it is not in any company's interest to do anything that is not sustainable. Every company that is harvesting and that wants to grow it business and the harvesters who want to create a future for themselves and those who will come after them wants to harvest in a sustainable way. Is there any evidence to suggest there are practices that impact on the future growth of the plant?