Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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388. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of an application for a permit by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3487/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Private boats on the lakes in the Park are regulated by way of mooring discs or pegs. In a scheme introduced in 1991, following lengthy consultation with interested parties, mooring discs were issued to all boat owners having a recognised traditional mooring right on the lakes, subject to an overall limit on the number of discs issued. It is considered that a limit is necessary so as to balance recreational use with the conservation imperative of flora and fauna of the lakes and surrounding areas, and also taking account of obligations under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives. My Department does not permit the casual placing of boats on the lakes on a daily basis, as boats and engines coming from outside the Park carry the risk of spreading invasive alien species such as zebra mussels and various pond weeds. To facilitate others, persons applying for mooring pegs are placed on a waiting list and any pegs becoming available are allocated to those on the list. In order to facilitate the short-term accommodation of some of those on the waiting list, they are entered into a lottery each year for one of 22 temporary mooring pegs to use the lakes for one year. My Department receives numerous requests for mooring spaces but, unfortunately, the demand far exceeds the number of spaces available.

The 2015 lottery took place last year under the supervision of my officials and local angling club members. Offers of discs have issued to those persons drawn from the lottery but it is not my Department’s policy at the moment to issue letters to unsuccessful applicants. I am advised that the person referred to by the Deputy was unsuccessful in 2015 and has been automatically entered into this year’s draw as a result.