Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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684. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 534 of 27 February 2018, if further details regarding the one new licence application for the cultivation of finfish and the one application for the renewal and review of an existing licence will be supplied; if the applications were granted licences; the purpose of the licences; the species covered by same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11788/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The aquaculture licence applications referred to by the Deputy are currently under consideration by my Department in accordance with the provisions of the 1997 Fisheries (Amendment) Act, the 1933 Foreshore Act and applicable EU legislation.

The legislation provides for a period of statutory and public consultation. Consideration of the applications in question has not yet reached this stage of the process. Accordingly, the release of information earlier than provided by statute would undermine the process and could create the public perception that the decision making process would be unduly influenced.

As the licence applications in question are currently under active consideration as part of a statutory process it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time.