Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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220. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 311 of 15 April 2015, and his recent statement on RTE radio, that he was cautious about the salmon farming industry; if he will acknowledge the public's legitimate concerns regarding salmon farming; and commission an independent review of all aspects of this industry; that this review should include the ongoing contracts between his Department and the industry representatives despite his Department's role as licensing authority; the inadequacy of his Department's sea lice control measures, as evidenced by the latest Marine Institute reports; the continued allocations of public funds to an industry that, based on his own Department's figures, has failed to develop in comparison with our tourist and angling industries and is an environmental threat to these industries. [17677/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy has been advised previously my officials and I, in the normal course of official business meet with representatives of the aquaculture industry and individual companies on an ongoing basis to discuss licensing and industry development issues. There is always a strict separation between my Ministerial role as decision maker in respect of licence applications and my Ministerial duty to promote the sustainable development of the industry. This separation of duties is strictly observed. These interactions with industry do not conflict with my role or the role of my Department in relation to licensing, which is set out in legislation.

The control protocols for the management of sea lice are operated by the Marine Institute on behalf of the State and are more advanced than 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

These control protocols have been the subject of detailed investigation and testing by the EU Commission which has confirmed that it regards the sea lice protocols operated in Ireland as representing best practice internationally.

The potential for growth and job creation in the aquaculture sector has been widely recognised internationally over a number of years. On 27 March 2015, I announced plans for a new €241 million development programme for the seafood sector for the period up to 2020, co-funded by the EU through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The draft Seafood Development Programme 2014-2020 proposes investment of €30 million in a number of measures specifically intended to support the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector. Those investment plans will be supported by a new National Strategic Plan for Aquaculture, which I will publish for public consultation shortly. Through that National Strategic Plan and targeted investment under the Seafood Development Programme I will be seeking to identify all of the issues affecting the sustainable growth of the sector and the policy actions and supporting investment needed to address those issues.