Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will finish with this point. This independent report has been published and I commend the Minister on doing that. Apparently, it is the third report examining changes in the system. However, this one is critical. It has 30 recommendations. As I have not heard the Minister or the officials say they are not going to implement those recommendations, I assume all 30 will be implemented. One clearly states that the decision on licensing must be separated from the other matters. Decision making processes have to be separated in order that they are independent of each other. If somebody is responsible for development and licensing that person can get on with that. Somebody is also responsible for ensuring that licences are complied with and that the concerns of the public are heard, which is also important. These matters need to be separated. That is one of the recommendations, yet the Minister says he does not see a conflict of interest and that there are different views on it.

We must have clarity. Is the Minister going to implement all 30 recommendations? Will he also listen to our concerns as representatives not only of Donegal but of rural coastal communities? There is a massive loss here yet there is a lack of urgency. The Minister says 65% and others say 75%, but the significant majority of value in this sector and where there is also an urgency is in the finfish area. However, the summary from the Department refers to it being kicked back to 2020, two years hence. Two thirds of it is in chaos or is stalled and being squeezed, yet the Department will wait two more years. That is the lack of urgency and lack of acceptance in the Department. I see nothing in the Minister's statement today. My venting of my frustration and anger as the Minister listens patiently - in fairness, he is a calm and patient man - does not achieve anything.

I am appealing to the Minister to understand and perhaps meet some of the stakeholders in the aquaculture industry who feel they are being stymied. He should visit their production centres, see the potential and then demand change from his officials. What has happened previously must end. There must be a change in attitude. It is shocking that after everything I have said the committee gets a report that states it will be two more years before the Department prioritises finfish. It is prioritising the low-hanging fruit of the shellfish licences.

Something has to change if we are to achieve our potential.