Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an Aire Stáit. Is as Contae an Chláir an Aire Stáit agus beidh eolas maith aige ar an gceist atáim ag ardú maidir le cúrsaí feamainne agus an tábhacht atá le tionscnamh na feamainne in iarthar na tíre agus ó thaobh na bainteoirí aonair a bhíonn á bhaint. The Minister of State will understand this issue well because he comes from County Clare and will probably know many seaweed harvesters and how important the industry is. Even though it might be small in the national context, it is important to us in the west.It is a huge tradition going back many generations where traditional harvesters would collect the seaweed, which is obviously very hard work, and then they would sell on to processors, etc.

The Minister of State would be aware, I am sure, that a number of years ago applications were made for blanket licences for large companies which wanted foreshore licences covering huge tracts. One, in particular, covered the area from County Clare to the top of Mayo. There was serious concern at that stage about the impact that would have on the industry, the traditional harvesters and the smaller processors and their access to seaweed. The question seems to have gone dormant in the last year or so. I have raised this issue on a number of occasions with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. We know that his Department was asking for a list of all the folios on the seashore to be made so that it could look at all those foreshore folios and see how many had pertinent seaweed harvesting rights attached to them. We also know that people can also legally maintain their right to continue cutting seaweed if they have proof of having been involved in the industry through sales to companies, etc.

The traditional harvesters have raised this matter with me once again. A review was to be done of the licensing regime. Where does that stand at the moment? Has that audit been finished? If so, can we see a published report on that audit? How many people actually have pertinent rights on their folios that would allow them to continue harvesting? How many people do not? What is the plan to implement a seaweed management programme in those areas? What is the situation in regard applications for the harvesting of seaweed? I look forward to the Minister of State's response. This is an issue in Mayo as well, so I will hand over to Senator Conway-Walsh to say a few words.