Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of the responsibilities of the Marine Institute is to evaluate the environmental impact studies relating to aquaculture licensing. The presentation referred to the potential of the marine sector to create wealth in the global context. How can people involved with the aquaculture industry plan for new markets when they cannot get licences? The institute is a core component of the process so what is causing these delays that are seriously holding back the potential of the industry to create jobs on the west coast of Ireland? This is regardless of whether the Department makes a decision for or against a licence and either way, people need certainty. Decisions must be made in a proper timeframe that allows everybody to know where they stand. What is the experience of the institute in that regard? Does the institute have a role in examining the causes of coastal erosion and what can be done, particularly for communities and amenities around the coast, in protecting against it?