Dr. Cecil Beamish:

It is not BIM spiel; this is the Department setting out what it understands the global context to be. In that context, therefore, the question is whether Ireland wants to take part in aquaculture production opportunities that arise, etc., and how that can or cannot be facilitated. Part of that facilitation involving examination and ensuring compliance with environmental directives is all of the effort going on regarding Natura sites. The Natura sites cover the bulk of what are traditional aquaculture sites. Nobody has made a decision against traditional aquaculture. Much is going on and I could talk about it. Indeed there has been substantial restructuring in aquaculture in Connemara on which the Department has been working with the other parties in recent years, which has led to fairly significant change there.

We did not talk about shellfish, oyster production, mussels,-----