Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me answer the question that the Deputy asked. A process is required. Unfortunately, previous governments did not put in place a proper and robust aquaculture licensing system. The Commission took Ireland to court on this matter and won. We are required to put in place a gold-plated system that we should have implemented many years ago but did not. A part of the process involves an assessment all of Natura and special area of conservation, SAC, sites, amounting to every harbour on our coastline with one or two exceptions. We have fast-tracked the process and I have made decisions on more than 100 aquaculture licensing applications. However, I can only do this as the bays get assessed. The bay in question has not been assessed yet, but we will get to it as quickly as possible.

Regarding Deputy Ó Cuív's commentary on the independence of my Department in terms of aquaculture licence applications, we have put in place a template that ensures that people applying for fish farm or aquaculture licences know by what they must abide. We simply determine whether they meet the requirements. To make the case that, given my advocacy of growth in the aquaculture sector, I am not balanced when making licensing decisions is nonsense. We have just discussed-----

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