Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)

I welcome all our guests here today. The seafood industry is absolutely critical to our country. Aquaculture is hugely important to Ireland. I believe we produce the best seafood. Aquaculture creates great employment in my own county and, indeed, throughout the country. In County Kerry, we have many great companies. We have them in Cromane, Cahersiveen, Dingle and Kenmare to name just a few.

There are pitfalls. Reference has been made to improved infrastructure. It is a given that all piers and harbours need and deserve investment. I will take this opportunity to mention Cromane pier or landing facility. The campaign has been going on for well over 100 years, yet there is still no sign of a landing facility there. It is one of the oldest fishing villages in our country. Can anything be done in this regard? It is a general question and is perhaps not appropriate for this forum today.

I have previously mentioned the reopening of the east coast mussel seed fishery, which is very important. I cannot understand why common sense cannot prevail. As we speak, the seed is diminishing with different species such as crab and others there and the weather conditions are not improving to allow boats to access the seed. We need to up our game regarding these decisions.

The main pitfall, which I have raised time and time again, concerns the horrendous delays in the processing of aquaculture licences. I have raised this since I became a Member last year and I had been raising it for many years as a member of Kerry County Council. I have seen first-hand the impact these delays are having. I have witnessed cases where businesses wanted to expand and funding was available, but the licences were expiring and the next thing - bang. These were shovel-ready projects but they fell by the wayside. It is sad to see.

It is all very well for us to speak about the delays with aquaculture licences, and we have been speaking about this at most of the committee meetings I have attended. This meeting is specifically about aquaculture innovation but we cannot even process licences within an adequate timeframe. The idea of waiting ten, 15 or 20 years is an absolute scandal, and there is no other word for it. I cannot understand why this has been allowed to happen over many years. Obviously, people were sitting on their laurels, doing absolutely zero, zilch, nothing. It beggars belief. While I hate to say this, we must be the laughing stock not just of Europe but of the world due to this issue.

I would welcome, and not before time, all the parties being brought in so we can sort this issue once and for all. It is simply not good enough. I cannot believe I am speaking about it again today, when I think how long ago it was that I first raised the issue of the processing of licences. This is particularly important for Cromane. I live only a couple of minutes away from Cromane, so I know first-hand what I am talking about and how important it is to have these licences for the young men and women in that community. As Deputy Gallagher said, it creates employment in coastal communities and villages where no other employment is available. It is great to see those who are successful in getting planning permission to build a house and living and rearing a family in the area, or being able to afford to buy a car or build a house. We need to get our act together. This is the biggest issue I have faced since I came into the House, and it was an issue long before that. We need to get it sorted.