Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, to the House. While I have raised a general matter concerning the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, ALAB, an autonomous body established by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, I am specifically concerned about the application by Marine Harvest for a fish-farming site in County Donegal.

This is a very straightforward issue. ALAB discussed the merits and demerits of the application. Although the board officially had a quorum, because all members were not present a balanced and definitive argument on the merits and demerits of the site were not forthcoming. I have a problem in that when the board was established each of the representatives came from different backgrounds within industry and the fishing sector. If the full representative group was not present to make a competent and comprehensive decision on that licence application for the salmon industry in County Donegal on behalf of Marine Harvest, the decision must be reviewed as must the role of ALAB in general.

I look forward to the Minister's response. ALAB has been compared to An Bord Pleanála and there have been difficulties with that board as planning is also not a defined science. However, in order to make a competent decision on any issue concerning a licence application for fish farming we need all representative parties at the table.