Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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217. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if will confirm the statement on Bord Iascaigh Mhara's website that chemicals are rarely used on Irish fish farms by providing the amount and nature of the chemicals used during 2012 to 2014. [41398/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The specific text on the Bord Iascaigh Mhara website referred to by the Deputy reads as follows; “Chemicals are rarely used on today’s Irish fish farms. The only chemicals used would be medicines which, if needed, are administered by a veterinary surgeon and detailed in records that are routinely inspected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Young salmon are vaccinated before being put to sea, which means that the use of antibiotics is almost non-existent ”. Control of the substances referred to, is governed by the provisions of Statutory Instrument No. 466/2008, EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (CONTROL OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES IN AQUACULTURE) REGULATIONS 2008. As I have previously advised the Deputy, Regulation 8 of this Statutory Instrument imposes an obligation on all aquaculture operators to maintain and make available for inspection, records which relate to their licensed aquaculture operations. There is no legislative requirement on my Department to keep these documents on file as a matter of routine. However, as stated, aquaculture operators are obliged to make relevant documents available as part of any inspection undertaken in connection with the operation of their sites under the provisions of the applicable legislation.