Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is important that every aspect of an application be taken into account, and an important part of that is the ecological and environmental impact be fully assessed. The application and assessment process is rigorous in that regard and goes through it in great detail. As I pointed out, the list of consultees that make submissions is extensive, while the legislation, which has to be complied and against which any application has to be benchmarked, is comprehensive as well. All those issues are considered.

Our aquaculture and salmon farming sector is one that delivers significantly for our local economy. It can be done sustainably and we can continue to develop it sustainably too. Obviously, any applications have to be rigorously assessed. They have to meet all the tests and they do. Different people may have different views and that is why the public consultation process is there and why the public consultees are involved in order that they can feed in to that, with a fair and rigorous assessment made of all submissions before a final decision is made. It will be approved only if the application meets the required standards and tests.

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