Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)

I acknowledge the Minister of State's work in this area to date and the fact that he has prioritised the issue of delays relating to the processing of aquaculture licences. He is very much on top of his brief, as I know from dealing with companies and people involved in the industry throughout my county, especially, and, indeed, further afield. I talk to all those people. I know he will pursue this to a satisfactory conclusion but, as things stand, the situation is totally unsatisfactory. It is more than annoying, particularly for the families I referred to in coastal communities in my county and further afield. I am sure he will get to the bottom of it.

It is sad this has gone on for so long. I have mentioned An Cromán many times. It is probably the oldest fishing village in the whole of Ireland. It lost out on the fishing of wild salmon and all of that, with only a small element of that there today. This is hugely important. There are young people employed in the sector. They are contributing to their local communities, building houses, rearing families and contributing to every aspect of daily life. We want to keep them there and, as I keep saying, we want to keep rural Ireland alive. I will keep raising this hugely important matter until such time as it is addressed. I thank the Minister of State for his work. I put it on the record of the House that we are lucky to have him.

See this speech in context