John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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204. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the new national strategic plan for aquaculture will include proposals to support and develop the oyster production industry, in view of the current multifaceted difficulties facing the sector; when he expects this strategy to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17262/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is presently finalising a draft National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture. I expect to publish the draft Plan for public consultation in the coming weeks. The draft Plan will examine all issues affecting the aquaculture industry, including the oyster farming sector, and make policy proposals to address those issues.

Any financial assistance for the development of the aquaculture industry will be provided through the new Seafood Development Programme (SDP), co-funded by the Exchequer and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. A public consultation on a draft SDP closed on 1 May 2015. The draft SDP published for consultation proposed investment of €30 million in a number of measures specifically intended to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. My Department is now working to finalise that SDP, having regard to the issues raised during the course of the consultation, with a view to bringing the SDP to Government for approval as soon as possible. The SDP is likely to be adopted later in 2015 by the European Commission.