Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Johnstown Castle Agricultural College is certainly part of the Bill. I think the college should engage in the seaweed issue because there is scope for an industry related to seaweed in the area. Given the environment along the south coast of Wexford there is considerable potential for the harvesting of seaweed. I understand this area comes under the remit of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government as well as the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It would be disappointing if we allowed organisations like the Canadian company that has recently bought here to dictate who can or cannot use seaweed.

We should be promoting indigenous industry. We are finding out to our cost how much foreign direct investment can disappoint us on a regular basis. Repeatedly, Governments in Ireland have refused to invest in serious indigenous industry and this is a major problem for us because we have become dependent on foreign direct investment. I am raising the matter of seaweed because it is a small example of an area where there is serious growth potential. We are not maximising or even coming remotely close to maximising what we could to in that area.

I know nothing about the graveyard that the Chair would like me to talk about. However, there is a great deal of land there. I imagine it is unlikely to be a seriously controversial issue in the area if a small plot of land is used as a graveyard locally. Perhaps I am wrong but I doubt if it is a serious problem. Thank you, Chair, for butting in so often.

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