Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of licence applications pending in Kenmare River Bay in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45512/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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At present there are 47 aquaculture licence applications awaiting determination in or adjacent to the Kenmare River Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Kenmare Bay is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive ('Natura 2000' site). As a designated 'Natura 2000' site all applications for aquaculture licences in Kenmare Bay are required to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of environmental compliance with the EU Habitats Directives. My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, is engaged in a comprehensive programme to gather the necessary baseline data appropriate to the conservation objectives of ‘Natura 2000’ areas. This data collection programme is substantially complete. Analysis of the data, together with the setting of appropriate conservation objectives by the NPWS, will enable all new, renewal and review applications to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. This work represents a significant financial, administrative and scientific investment by the State in resolving this issue. The Appropriate Assessment of aquaculture applications is being dealt with on a bay-by-bay basis.

The completion of the process of identifying Conservation Objectives and conducting Appropriate Assessments varies depending on location and key operational factors including weather conditions, the quality of data received from field operations and the need to carry out additional survey work in certain specific instances.

Kenmare Bay remains part of the package of prioritised areas under assessment. This package is reviewed on a regular basis with a view to expediting the appropriate assessment process.

Addressing the issue of aquaculture licensing in ‘Natura 2000’ areas is a key priority for my Department and you can be assured that every effort is being made to expedite the process having regard to all the complexities involved.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of licences that were granted or renewed in Natura 2000 areas since the Natura 2000 area were introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45513/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No new aquaculture licences for sites in 'Natura areas' have been issued since the European Court of Justice issued a negative judgement against Ireland in 2007 for breaches of EU Birds and Habitats Directives.

To ensure compliance with the Birds and Habitats Directives, all applications in 'Natura 2000 areas' are required to be appropriately assessed. This has required the putting in place of a significant work programme which has considerable time and resource implications. An additional factor is that all aquaculture applications now undergo an Environmental Impact pre-screening assessment which requires significant input from the Department’s scientific and technical advisors, or are required to provide a full Environmental Impact Statement.

My Department, in conjunction with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, is engaged in a comprehensive programme to gather the necessary baseline data appropriate to the conservation objectives of 'Natura 2000' areas. This data collection programme is substantially complete. Analysis of the data, together with the setting of appropriate conservation objectives by the NPWS, will enable all new, renewal and review applications to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. This work represents a significant financial, administrative and scientific investment by the State in resolving this issue. The Appropriate Assessment of aquaculture applications is being dealt with on a bay-by-bay basis.