John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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474. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a licence for a hatchery; if a decision has been made on the requirement for an environmental impact assessment, EIA; if permission will be granted to the business to put in eggs in November or December 2017 and January 2018 while a decision is being made on the licence in order to avoid the loss of another year to the business; and if the matter will be expedited. [49885/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The application referred to by the Deputy is currently under consideration by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act and related EU legislation.

The issue of whether or not an Environmental Impact Statement will be required from the applicant will be determined following a screening process currently underway by my Department in conjunction with the Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

It is important to note that the applicable legislation prohibits an applicant or any person on behalf of the applicant from engaging in aquaculture at the place or waters to which the application relates before a licence is granted.

Every effort is being made to expedite the processing of the application having regard to the complexities involved.