Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, and thank you for allowing the Commencement matter to go ahead. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, to the House. This issue is simple. Ballyvaughan in County Clare as well as Fanore and the Burren are among the most unique areas of landscape in the world. The Burren is certainly has a unique style in terms of its rock, limestone, mountainous terrain, flora and fauna. Some of the flowers there only grow in the Burren and nowhere else in the world.

The Burrenbeo and Burren Geopark projects have had major success. They have won international awards and they are going to win many more awards. These, coupled with the Cliffs of Moher visitor experience and the panoramic coastline that extends all along the coast of County Clare, in particular from the Cliffs of Moher up as far as Ballyvaughan, are our natural resources. They are creating and sustaining jobs in the northern part of County Clare. Meanwhile, a fish farm is being proposed.

I do not know very much about fish farms but I have been talking to many people who know a great deal about them and I do not like what I hear. It is the same among the people of north Clare. I do not believe we need this type of investment in County Clare to create jobs. We have ample opportunity to create jobs in the county by promoting and investing in tourism and in promoting our natural resources. We do not need fish farms.

It would be more in the line of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to negotiate properly for access to sea waters for the fishermen who go to sea for a living, instead of indirectly encouraging these types of fish farms which, ultimately, will compromise the natural resources we have. I wish to put on the record of this House clearly that I am not in favour of the fish farm, either as it is proposed or as it will be alternatively proposed following downsizing. What we have we need to protect rather than compromise.