Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the public disquiet regarding plans to develop two salmon fish farms totalling 456 hectares in the Galway Bay area; the long-term consequences that this development will have on angling and tourism in the vicinity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15875/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has submitted an application to my Department for an Aquaculture and a Foreshore Licence for the cultivation of Finfish near Inis Oirr in Galway Bay. The application and its accompanying Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is currently being considered in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and the 1933 Foreshore Act as amended. The legislation provides for extensive consultation with stakeholders, including Inland Fisheries Ireland, which has responsibility for wild salmon stocks. The legislation also provides for a period of general public consultation.

The public consultation stage of the process is now complete and a total of 410 valid submissions have been received by my Department and are currently under active consideration. All matters associated with the application including the impact, if any, on angling and tourism, will be given very careful consideration by my Department. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this application which is under consideration as part of a statutory process.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, in view of the Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-2013 published as part of the National Development Plan, which states that the targets for increased productive capacity of salmon will now have to be deferred until the sea lice problem issue has been satisfactory resolved, he is satisfied that this issue is now removed; if he or his Department has had discussions with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources regarding this issue and if they agree the issue is now resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15894/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Seafood National Programme 2007-13 is a framework programme under the National Development Plan covering supports to the seafood sector that are not co-funded by the EU. Most support to the seafood sector is co-funded by the European Fisheries Fund and is covered by the Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013. Financial supports for the construction, installation and modernisation of aquaculture enterprises are provided by BIM and Údarás na Gaeltachta through the Commercial Aquaculture Development Scheme. This Scheme was originally part of the Irish Seafood National Programme, but was moved into the co-funded Seafood Development Programme in 2012, as part of a revision of that Programme following its 2011 interim evaluation. As part of the original development of both programmes, a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) was conducted. During the course of the public consultation on that SEA, the Central and Regional Fisheries Boards (now Inland Fisheries Ireland) raised concerns about the possibility of sea-lice emanating from salmon farms negatively affecting migrating wild salmon. The Minister for Communication, Energy and Natural Resources supported these concerns. Rather than delay the finalisation of the programmes, it was agreed to exclude salmon farms from financial support under the Irish Seafood National Programme until such time as the sea-lice issue has been satisfactorily resolved. This temporary restriction on development grants was included in the text of the Irish Seafood National Programme (page 99). While my Department has kept this matter under review with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the matter has not been resolved and the position remains that salmon farming is excluded from the financial support programmes for commercial aquaculture.

With the transfer of the Commercial Aquaculture Development Scheme into the co-funded Seafood Development Programme in 2012, the text of that Programme was amended to provide for the continuation of the temporary restriction on financial support to the salmon farming sector. The temporary restriction was also included in the eligibility criteria approved earlier this month for the next call for applications under the Commercial Aquaculture Development Scheme. My Department's policy on sea lice controls is strictly evidence based. The control protocols are operated by the Marine Institute on behalf of the State and are more advanced that those operated in other jurisdictions for the following reasons: the inspection regime is totally independent of the industry; data obtained as a result of inspections is published; treatment trigger levels are set at a low level.

In 2008, the State introduced a new Pest Management Strategy, supplementing the control regime already in place. This has resulted in a steady decline in average sea lice numbers on farmed salmon since its inception. The protocols have been the subject of detailed investigation and testing by the EU Commission in response to a complaint from a member of the public in respect of the effects of sea lice on wild salmon. On 11 October 2012, the Commission closed its investigation of this complaint in the State's favour following its examination of all relevant matters. The Commission has also indicated that it regards the sea lice protocols operated in Ireland as representing best practice internationally.