Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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627. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with regard to trout and salmon farming on land, the plans he has to introduce containment measures, such as closed containment farms, that would significantly reduce water column pollution from feed, faeces and chemical waste and contamination of the sea bed under farms, eliminate the risk of disease and parasite transfer from such operations to wild stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36776/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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All applications for land-based aquaculture licences are considered by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997. The legislation provides for extensive consultation with stakeholders including a period of general public consultation. Applications for aquaculture licences regardless of the location of the site in respect of which the applications are made, are referred to a wide range of consultees for comment. These include, inter alia, the Marine Institute, Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Department of Environment Community and Local Government, Fáilte Ireland, An Taisce and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. In addition, my Department’s Engineering Division provides technical advice on each application. Applications which are subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement, and this document is assessed by my Department’s consultees and technical advisors, and made available for comment by the public. Applications in respect of sites which are located in Natura areas are subject to an Appropriate Assessment process. The specific conditions included in any aquaculture licence are based on the results of my Department’s examination of the application in question following receipt of all the appropriate scientific, technical and engineering and other advice as appropriate in relation to the application, as well as the requirements set out in legislation.