Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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411. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 25 June 2015, his views that the targets for aquaculture production growth set out in the national strategic plan for aquaculture development are based on production peaks for various species achieved in different years, and are predicted on the highly implausible likelihood that the production peaks for these species will come together over the period of this plan; that this approach owes more to wishful thinking than to professional strategy, and that this plan should not therefore be the basis for spending public moneys. [29122/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 25 June 2015 that Ireland’s draft  National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development along with its accompanying environmental reports is currently undergoing public consultation until 24 July. On 2 July the Taoiseach launched Food Wise 2025, a new ten year strategy which sets ambitious targets and milestones for the agri-food sector and identifies an important role for aquaculture in relation to the seafood sector. My Department has also recently submitted the Seafood Development Programme, having undergone public consultation and environmental assessment, to the EU Commission for adoption. Over the coming months a negotiation process will proceed between Department and Commission officials and it is hoped that a final agreed document will be in place by the end of 2015 to allow full implementation to begin in 2016. With these key policies also under way the climate is right to propose ambitious targets and I look forward to stakeholder feedback through the ongoing consultation process.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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412. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 25 June 2015, if the definition of offshore aquaculture used by his Department in the national strategic plan for aquaculture development can be applied to salmon farms anywhere on the foreshore, and therefore that his previous strategy concerning the placement of salmon farms in deeper water is now exposed as nonsense. [29123/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Applications for Aquaculture Licences for the cultivation of finfish in the marine environment are considered by my Department under the provisions of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 and the Foreshore Act 1933. It is a matter for individual applicants to determine the precise location for which they wish to apply for a licence to operate a marine finfish farm. In its role as Licensing Authority my Department does not adopt a pre-disposition in respect of locations, and assesses each application on its merits and by reference to applicable legislation.

Determinations in respect of individual applications are only made following completion of the procedures set down in the applicable legislation and the consideration of all environmental, technical, scientific and public policy aspects of each application.

As the Deputy is aware, the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development has been published by my Department and is currently the subject of public consultation. It would not be appropriate for anyone to seek to pre-judge the outcome of the consultation process or any actions that might follow on from that process.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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413. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 25 June 2015, in view of the role of the Marine Institute as scientific contributor to Bord Iascaigh Mhara's 15,000 tonne salmon farm licence application, as scientific adviser to his Department on the board's licence application, and as the scientific source for scaling guidelines set out in the national strategic plan for aquaculture development which recommended scales less than half of those in the board's application, his views that the Marine Institute has been placed in a compromising position by his Department in regard to board's salmon farming licence application. [29124/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 25 June 2015, Ireland’s draft  National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development along with its accompanying environmental reports is currently undergoing public consultation until 24 July. I also stated that BIM’s application is still under consideration. The Marine Institute provides scientific advice in accordance with its functions.