Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

There is some merit in what my colleague on the other side of the House has said. I am interested in the extent to which the remit of the new coastal zone management authority will apply to bays and harbours. Kenmare Bay is one of the special areas of conservation around our coast. I understand that it is proposed to zone much of Bantry Bay in such a manner, which would limit the scope for development in the area. I am concerned that the exclusion of any reference to local area plans, county development plans and regional plans would be dangerous, as Senator Cummins has said. The Minister of State might argue that this legislation has to take account of the various plans and coastal zone management strategies. While I am subject to his decision on this matter, I remind him that it could have serious repercussions.

My own local bay, Bantry Bay, is the subject of amendments later in this debate. It is an unusual bay. It has been described as the second finest bay in the world. The biggest oil tankers that were ever built were able to navigate within Bantry Bay as they travelled towards the terminal at Whiddy Island. When super tankers move through Bantry Bay's fine shipping lane, there is more than 85 feet of water below them. That shows how safe a channel it is. Before the French invasion of 1796, the entire British fleet was able to seek shelter and anchor in Bantry Bay. That gives one an idea of the expanse of the bay.

When we think about a port, we think about the pier and landing areas in the inner harbour. That is important in the context of this section, about which my colleague, Senator Cummins, is kind enough to let me talk. There is an intrinsic variety of issues in this regard. It is important, from a social perspective, that the people of Whiddy Island are able to get to and from the island. That is important on every island. The former Gulf Oil terminal on the island, which is now owned by ConocoPhillips, is a commercial shipping area that is used regularly. It creates employment and revenue for what is now and is hoped will be the Bantry Harbour Board authority. Going further along the line we have the beautiful Garnish Island, close to Glengarriff, which is one of the greatest gems among our tourist attractions and attracts nearly 200,000 visitors per year. Occasionally an ocean liner comes into Bantry, although not as often as I would like, to let its passengers off to enjoy the beauty of west Cork, Kerry and further. This is in the scope of this amendment as we discuss coastal zone management and local area plans.

Bantry Bay has a big mariculture industry and I would argue it is the capital of mariculture in Ireland. We have four or five seafood factories that have won awards. Bantry Bay Seafoods exports all over the world, we have Shellfish de la Mer in Castletownbere, Fastnet Irish Seafood and a thriving rope mussel industry throughout the bay. Licensing of the mussel lines is a serious issue. Licensing areas of sea for setting out the lines is the same as licensing areas of land. We have had discussions on how mussel line and salmon net farmers must have cognisance of shipping and sailing lanes and respect other people's rights, but the bay is large so that can be achieved. This is relevant here. At last week's meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food I spoke on the 70 month delay for the application for an aquaculture licence. This applies not just to Bantry Bay but to Roaring Water Bay, Kenmare Bay, Killala or in Donegal the Foyle or the Swilly, or anywhere. Along with many of my colleagues, Deputies and Senators, I asked why there is such a delay.

Going beyond the remit of Senator Cummins's amendment, the question is how it will affect aquaculture. We have problems with a contracting economy. Unfortunately, we are losing jobs. Back in 1985, when I was a councillor and much younger, we had a proposal that we would reach a mussel production target of 30,000 tonnes. We have reached only 10,000 tonnes. We have stagnated. In the same year Chile produced no mussels and did not know what mussels were about. Now Chile produces 300,000 tonnes. The Chilean aquaculture industry is centred around Puerto Montt, which is approximately 300 miles south of Santiago and has its own airport. Chile saw the light in the last 20 years and now employs 40,000 people in aquaculture.

We are failing to expand our aquaculture industry. There is great potential. People are harvesting the mussels and using the sea beds. The potential is broader than mussels and includes salmon and scallops. The Minister may not be aware that the biggest abalone factory in the northern hemisphere — which includes not just Ireland or the UK but North America, Canada, the Russian Federation and all of Asia — is on the shores of Bantry Bay, out near Cahermore, Lehanmore and the peninsula. Abalone is a wonderful seafood product. The Chinese and Indians love it and Europeans are getting fond of it. I visited the factory and it is a wonderful achievement. With respect, Government agencies such as BIM are fully on board on this issue.