Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons nationally and by county who are directly and indirectly employed in seaweed production and harvesting; the amount this industry is worth to the economy; the regulatory position pertaining to production in this area; and the role overseen by the Marine Institute. [10813/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by Bord Iascaigh Mhara that there are sixteen people directly employed in seaweed farming in Ireland at this time, of which seven are in Cork, eight in Kerry and one in Mayo.  BIM estimates that the seaweed sector supports in the region of ten indirect jobs in ancillary services.  A county breakdown cannot be provided for this estimate. 

Seaweed farming in Ireland is a fledgling industry, so its value to the economy at this time is nominal.  I understand that the value of current production, when dried and further processed, may be in the region of €100,000. However, the sector has significant potential for growth in the years ahead, particularly given its positive environmental impact and its nutritional and pharmaceutical qualities. 

My Department co-funds with the European Union a Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme under my Department's EMFF Operational Programme.  The Scheme is administered by BIM.  It provides capital grants to aquaculture enterprises for investments that seek to grow output, value and employment in the sector.  To incentivise the growth of the seaweed farming sector, I have made available the maximum permitted 50% grant rate to seaweed farming investments and grants of up to €1 million are available to aquaculture enterprises for such investments.

My Department is responsible for the licensing and regulation of aquaculture production of seaweed under the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 and the Foreshore Act 1933, as amended. 

The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government is responsible generally for the  licensing and regulation of wild seaweed harvesting.  However, where the harvested product is used as a food source for the aquaculture production of shellfish, regulation falls within the remit of my Department.

In respect of the production of seaweed, the Marine Institute is a statutory consultee on applications for Aquaculture licences.