Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are making good progress with regard to licensing. Up to three years ago there had not been a licence granted for about five years in any area of aquaculture. Two years ago I signed off on about 130 licences, with 134 last year and this year it will be more than 200 licences. This shows we are making progress, but all these bays must first be assessed because they are all Natura 2000 designated areas. Before a licence can be considered, an assessment of the bay in question must be carried out and then the impact of the granting of a licence on the ecosystem must be assessed. This involves co-ordinated work between my Department, the Marine Institute and NPWS. We are working as quickly as possible to assess those bays. I know that people who want to expand their businesses are frustrated with the delay in areas such as Donegal, west Cork and along the west and south coasts. I assure members that this is a major priority for me because, in my view, this is an industry with the capacity to grow significantly and in a sustainable way. We have a better licensing system now than any other country in the European Union, but it is a slow process as a result of the assessment procedures. We can take some comfort that when people are issued with a licence, it will stand up to scrutiny from the EU or from any other body because of the assessment process. Many other countries will find that the Commission is taking a closer look at the operation of their licensing systems, just as it has looked at our system in the past.