John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences fully granted or determined by him in 2014 versus the targets he set for determinations at the beginning of the year; the reasons for any shortfall; where the bottlenecks still exist in dealing with the backlog of processing aquaculture licences; the agency responsible for any delays in processing determinations and the solutions being put in place to deal with the problem; if the agency causing the problem is one under his control or the responsibility of another Department; if it is outside of his remit, the steps he has taken with the Department involved to resolve the issue; the list of bays and number of aquaculture licence determinations which he committed to achieve during a speech at the recent national shellfish conference organised by the IFA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42687/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is not possible, as yet, to confirm the outturn for 2014 in relation to aquaculture licence determinations. I can confirm, however, that the number will be less than the projected outturn due primarily to the delay in the provision of final Appropriate Assessments in respect of which there is broad consensus between the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, on the scientific inputs. This delay reflects the ongoing complexity inherent in the overall process. Following discussions with the Marine Institute and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, I am confident that, notwithstanding the complexities involved, 2015 will see a significant and sustained increase in licence determinations. In the order of 120 determinations are projected for Quarter 1, 2015 alone.

Based on information currently available, it is expected to achieve licence determinations in respect of the following bays in the first half of 2015:

- Donegal Bay;

- Dungarvan Harbour;

- Clew Bay;

- Valentia/Portmagee Channel;

- Lough Swilly;

- Galway Bay.