Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We might not agree on this. There are different views on it. I do not see it as a conflict at all. We take all the respective roles extremely seriously. There are many licence applicants who would wish that was not the case, although I appreciate that successful applicants are quite happy with the process. However, there are appeals and checks and balances built into any system. We are striving to address the licensing backlog as an imperative. That does not mean finding in favour of all applicants. The statistics show that of the approximately 300 applications this year, there were 160 grants and 144 refusals. It is not a slam dunk. We are not compromised in the integrity of the process by one iota. There are checks and balances in the system as well. I do not intend to refer to an individual application, and it would be inappropriate to do so, but Deputy McConalogue mentioned the one at Shot Head. That was one of the licences granted by the Department.

The finfish issue is obviously of greater interest in Donegal. I appreciate the geographical spread of the industry. In trying to accelerate that licensing process, we will be issuing a requirement for environmental impact statements. That is the necessary next step in clearing the backlog in that area of licence applications. Bear in mind that the existing licenceholders continue to have that licence and operate under it.

It is a complex process; it is not easy. I referred to all the legislation that governs it, ranging from the habitats directive and birds directive to foreshore legislation. It is extraordinarily complex to do all the appropriate assessments, taking account of the individual nature of all the bays involved, the flora and fauna, the competing demands for access, the feed potential in the bays and so forth.

I believe I have covered the questions.