Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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702. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the aquaculture licensing review; if he will provide an overview of the submissions made; the next stages in the process; the estimated completion date for the entire process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18309/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I appointed the independent three-person Aquaculture Licensing Review Group in December 2016.  The Group is tasked with identifying and recommending changes to improve the aquaculture licence process and its associated legal framework.  The review is expected to take four months, concluding with the Group providing me with a concise report and recommended actions. 

The Group conducted a public consultation earlier this year, running from early January until 10 February.  Information on the number of submissions received (385), as well as a list of these submissions, has been made available on the website www.fishingnet.ie, the Government's commercial sea-fishing network portal.

I understand that it is the intention of the Group to publish the submissions received during the consultation concurrently with the final report.  Any publication of submissions will be carried out in compliance with Freedom of Information, European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations and Data Protection legislation.