Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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To respond to that, I also agree with Senator Boyle that it is absolutely shocking that we are looking six-year delays and a backlog of 295. Any industry facing that kind of backlog and slow process and throughput would understandably be under huge pressure. This committee will need to get to grips with it. That includes questions to the Marine Institute, which will be before this committee in due course. We will also have a similar meeting to this to speak with the chair designate of the Marine Institute. It is definitely something that will be high on my list, and no doubt the Senator’s and those of other members.

I wish to make a few brief comments as well. I welcome Dr. McCarthy. I know he has been waiting a long time and, unfortunately, it took a considerable amount of time for these committees to be set up. That is regrettable. However, the committee is here now and we are having this meeting. I hope there will be no further delay to him getting in there and setting about the work of doing this. I also understand the licensing delays being experienced in the sector begin upstream of the appeals board. It is a problem the board is facing and grappling with rather than one it is responsible for creating, and that needs to be acknowledged.

That said, I take heart from the responses today and I urge Dr. McCarthy’ to do everything he possibly can within the powers he will have as chair to expedite, find efficiencies and use the role he has, as we will use the role we have here, to push for more resources and more efficiencies within the whole throughput in the licensing process. I just wanted to say that. It is not a question, just a brief statement.

With that, we have concluded our business. I thank the witnesses. I also apologise to Ms Treasa Langford. My note has her as "Teresa", so I said her name incorrectly. My apologies for that. It is Treasa. These things are important. On behalf of the committee, I thank Dr. McCarthy for coming here, as well as Ms Langford and Mr. Mulloy.

As there are no further matters for discussion, the meeting stands adjourned.