Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the actions his Department made to prepare for the entry into force of the recommendation concerning farmed fish of the Council of Europe's Standing Committee on the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes; the action he is taking now that said recommendation has entered into force to ensure that Ireland's regulatory and enforcement environment is such that it is entirely consistent with the content of the recommendation; if he has identified the shortfalls in said environment [i]vis-À-vis [/i] its consistency with the recommendation; and if so, the steps she will be taking to ensure the recommendation is honoured. [23150/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Recommendation concerning farmed fish adopted by the Standing Committee of the European Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes was adopted at the Council of Europe on 5 December 2005 and came into force on 5 June 2006. The Recommendation is general in nature and is due to be completed by detailed, technical appendices. We have not yet received notification of when these appendices will be produced, however, their consideration would include consultation with the aquaculture industry here to establish what implications there might be for fish farming practices.

It may be noted that European Community is a contracting party to the Convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes, and therefore it was the Community that voted in favour of the Convention on behalf of EU Member States. Concurrent with this Recommendation, a new EU Directive updating requirements for fish health has been brought forward and is now close to adoption. This Directive will be required to be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EC) 882 of 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules.

In addition, the Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute, has been involved in facilitating an initiative led by the Irish aquaculture industry to develop a Code of Best Practice for the farming of finfish, highlighting the international standards to be adhered to with regard to the welfare of farmed fish.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been seeking an aquaculture licence since 2004 to cultivate blue mussels at a site at Ardgroom Harbour; and if this application will be completed and the licence granted. [23168/06]

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The application was received in November 2004 and was assessed in the normal way. It was decided that, pending the resolution of compliance issues relating to density, configuration and maintenance of existing licensed areas within the harbour, the application could not be progressed further.

In January 2005 the applicant was advised that until the situation at Ardgroom had been resolved his application could not be determined. Efforts to resolve the overall situation are ongoing.