Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. My expertise in fishing and aquaculture is not great but I have a considerable interest in it. I agree with my colleagues, who are all from along the western seaboard, that we should support anything we can to create jobs in the area.

Aquaculture appears to have huge potential to create more local jobs, according to the documentation presented to us. We should do anything we can do in that regard. It is worrying that salmon farming has halved in recent times, according to Mr. Ó Cinnéide. In recent years we could have increased salmon farming. The Galway Bay initiative is dragging on. Some years ago we thought the project was close to being developed, and it is a pity that it has not progressed. The question is what incentives can be given to help companies to develop aquaculture along the western seaboard or elsewhere.