Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On page 47 of the programme for Government ambitious tourism policy goals by 2025 are set. We have a major tourism threat in west Cork and it is an issue I raised with the Taoiseach two weeks ago. There are major concerns in Kinsale about a proposed mussel farm off Kinsale harbour, which will cover a vast area of sea and will lead to huge consequences for the Kinsale community. I know the Tánaiste cannot comment on live planning issues while they are ongoing. Last Sunday, I attended a public meeting in Union Hall with local inshore fisherman, local tourism operators and local people in opposition to another oyster farm proposed by a French company that would cover an area from Union Hall to Castlehaven, which would have huge consequences locally. It is widely known that planning regulations in other European countries are now very strict, thus in the past month companies have made three applications in west Cork as Ireland's planning guidelines on oyster and mussel farms are far too lax. To save the livelihoods of inshore fisherman, tourism operators and local people in Union Hall, Castlehaven and Kinsale, will the Government work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to put in place stricter planning guidelines for these oyster and mussel farms?

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