John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the action he will take to revamp and reassess the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board (details supplied) and make it fit for purpose for a modern and efficient licencing system in order that the aquaculture industry can move forward and provide much needed jobs and exports in coastal communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40161/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Aquaculture Licenses Appeals Board (ALAB) is an independent statutory body, with its own funding provided for by the Oireachtas under Section 36 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997. The function of the Board is to provide an independent authority for the determination of appeals of decisions of the Minister on aquaculture licence applications. The management of ALAB’s functions is the responsibility of its Board and therefore the Minister does not have a role.

The fact that the majority of locations for which aquaculture licences are sought are in areas designated as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and/or Special Protection Areas under the EU Birds Directive (so-called Natura 2000 sites) has had implications for the processing of licence applications. My Department is constrained by law from issuing or renewing aquaculture licences for sites located within Natura 2000 areas until such time as an ‘appropriate assessment’ of the potential impacts of the proposed aquaculture and fishery activities on the conservation objectives for those areas has been conducted. The rate of issuing of Aquaculture licences has been affected by this change but as licences are issued the number of appeals may increase in the future.

The Secretary General and senior officials from my Department have met with the Chairman and members of the Board to review its resourcing and operational issues. An experienced officer from the Department has been assigned to work on administrative aspects of the ALAB operation. The operational needs of ALAB will be continually reviewed in the light of any change in circumstances.