Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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256. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for an aquaculture licence in respect of a proposed oyster farm (details supplied); if he will request a tax clearance certificate from the applicant and licence holder as is applicable; if he will consider making the potential granting of any such licence subject to the condition that the holder, or their assignee, produces current tax clearance certificates on an ongoing basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31328/16]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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257. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application for an aquaculture licence in respect of a proposed oyster farm (details supplied), considering that the application was submitted and validated over four years ago; if he will exercise his power to request that the applicant furnishes information which may be reasonably required to verify any particulars or information formerly given by the applicant in relation to the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31329/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together.

Applications for aquaculture licences are considered by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable EU legislation.

The application referred to by the Deputy is located in Kincasslagh Bay which is designated in the Gweedore Bay and Islands Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive (Natura 2000 site).

All applications in ‘Natura’ areas are required to be appropriately assessed for the purpose of environmental compliance with the EU Habitats and/or Birds Directives. An Appropriate Assessment was carried out by the Marine Institute in respect of Gweedore Bay and Islands Special Area of Conservation and published in February 2016. Much of the processing of the aquaculture licence application referred to could only commence on foot of the findings of the Appropriate Assessment.

The licence application is under active consideration by my Department as part of the statutory process and it would, therefore, not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter at this time.