Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the policy directions given to Foras na Mara by him or his Department in relation to research on the development of aquaculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14732/13]

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the policy directions given to Bord Iascaigh Mhara by him in relation to the development of aquaculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14731/13]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proposals in Harvest 2020 in relation to the development of the aquaculture industry here; if these proposals are his policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14733/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 142 and 147 together.

Public Policy for the development of aquaculture is set out in a number of public documents. These are Food Harvest 2020, Our Ocean Wealth, Steering a New Course – Strategy for a Restructured, Sustainable and Profitable Irish Seafood Industry 2007-2013, the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013, the Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-2013, The Rising Tide – A Review of the Bottom Grown Mussel Sector on the Island of Ireland, and Sea Change – A Marine Knowledge, Research and Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013. These documents set high ambitions for the development of aquaculture, identify various opportunities for achieving those ambitions and propose measures to avail of those opportunities. Both BIM and Foras na Mara would be guided by these public policy documents in developing their own statements of strategy and in their work programmes.

In relation Food Harvest 2020 specifically, that report makes two recommendations in relation to aquaculture. It recommends that my Department should work with other relevant Departments and State agencies to resolve difficulties related to aquaculture licensing. Secondly, it recommends that the Marine Institute and BIM should work with industry to research and develop inshore and offshore aquaculture and alternative species on a commercial and profitable scale. The previous Government committed in July 2010 to implementing the recommendations of Food Harvest 2020 and I am equally committed to that aim. That commitment involves a very significant expansion of aquaculture output in this country.

Earlier this year my Department requested that BIM prepare a National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture, in partnership with relevant Divisions of my Department and the Marine Institute and involving a formal consultation with stakeholders. Such a Plan is required to be produced by every Member State of the European Union, in association with its Operational Programme for the period 2014 to 2020 under the proposed European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Regulation, which is still being negotiated by the EU institutions.