Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 606: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his role in the apparent blocking of grant aid to aquaculture companies here; his views on whether shellfish and fin fish farmers in the rest of Europe receive supports from the European fisheries fund; the reason for the delays on grant aid and licensing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5073/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The National Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013 which inter alia provides funding for aquaculture development, was advertised for public consultation in October 2008. Following this consultation process, issues were raised by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on behalf of CFB (Central Fisheries Board) regarding the grant-aiding of projects where environmental issues arise relating to compliance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives and sea lice control on salmon farms.

Following a European Court of Justice judgement in December 2007 that Ireland was not in compliance with certain obligations under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, this Department with its agencies working with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government developed a plan to deliver compliance with the EU Birds and Habitat Directives for wild fisheries and aquaculture over a determined timeframe. This plan was submitted to DG Environment for consideration and has been subject to detailed discussions. While DG Environment had indicated that it was in principle supportive of the plan, it has recently advised that it remains concerned about certain aspects of the planned approach to delivering compliance for aquaculture licensing. I will continue to work with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government to address the outstanding concerns of DG Environment.

In that regard, I secured €1m for to the collection of baseline data for assessment purposes in 2009 and a further €0.75m for 2010 in addition to funding provided by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Following an EU tender, the Marine Institute appointed personnel to operate the data collection exercise. This process is ongoing and will support compliance of aquaculture and wild fisheries with the terms of the Birds and Habitat Directives.

In relation to sea lice issues, I have met Minister of State Lenihan on this issue, most recently last November. I advised on the significant progress made in relation to managing sea lice levels on salmon farms and the concerns of the Fishery Boards were also set down. I am hopeful that there is a better understanding of the issues involved from both Department's perspectives and that on this basis we can find a satisfactory resolution to the concerns raised.

Grants payable under the National Seafood Development Operational Programme 2007-2013 will be fully funded by the Irish Exchequer. There are no EU time restrictions on the adoption of the OP. Once the Operational Programme has been adopted, the individual schemes under the OP will have to be notified to the EU under EU State Aid guidelines. It is a matter for each EU Member State to make its own arrangements regarding the funding of its aquaculture sector, within the overall EU rules on grant aid.

In regard to delays in aquaculture licensing, the timeframe for reaching a determination in respect of applications will vary depending on location, species, scale and intensity of production, culture method, statutory status of sites, potential visual impact, access route and frequency of access to sites, other activities in the area etc. This does not include consideration of any submissions or observations raised during the public consultation period.

In the course of assessing applications for aquaculture licences a number of additional complexities have arisen due to the Natura 2000 status of many areas under the Birds and Habitats Directives. As I have stated earlier, my Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute, is gathering the necessary baseline data appropriate to the conservation objectives of these areas so that the necessary assessment of these sites can be undertaken. Every effort is being made by my Department to expedite the determination of all outstanding cases having regard to the complexities of each case and the need to comply fully with all relevant national and EU legislation.