Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

That was a spirited performance as ever from the Deputy. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle and I were raised within sight, sound and smell of the Safe in Wexford. We are fully familiar with the problem of sea lettuce. The Deputy waxed eloquently about how it looks when the tide is coming in in the early morning but anybody who has been in the vicinity of a large amount of sea lettuce when the tide is out will recognise the Deputy's description of its noxious nature.

Accumulations of sea lettuce have become an increasing nuisance and this is recognised by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Sea lettuce is a naturally occurring seaweed that can multiply and reach very high volumes where conditions are favourable. Large deposits on beaches are unsightly and where allowed to decay can present a potential health hazard. Fishing interests too have reported their equipment becoming fouled by the seaweed while it is still waterborne. In recent years, Cork County Council has removed sea lettuce from the affected beaches but the problem in 2009 grew to such an extent that a more sustainable approach was required. Some 10,000 tonnes of sea lettuce was washed up on the beaches in the vicinity of Clonakilty Bay.

My colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who up to January of this year had responsibility for all foreshore matters, recognised the impact that this phenomenon was having on locals and tourists in west Cork and established a task force to examine this problem in October 2009. The taskforce was asked to advise on the scientific, engineering, public safety and policy aspects relevant to the management and control of the sea lettuce problem.

As the Deputy indicated, the taskforce was made up of representatives from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the EPA, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Cork County Council and the Health Service Executive, under the chairmanship of Dr. Terry McMahon of the Marine Institute. I understand that the taskforce has now completed its work and the Minister, Deputy Gormley, expects to receive its report shortly.

The Deputy has raised the question of whether a limit has been placed on the amount of sea lettuce that can be removed from the beaches for the purposes of processing into fish feed. I can advise him that no such limit has been imposed - by either the Department or the local authority. I also understand that the taskforce report will not make any recommendations relating to limiting the removal of sea lettuce. Deputy Sheehan can go home happy this week. A person who swims every day knows the problem of sea lettuce.

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