Written answers

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Fisheries Protection

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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254. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the licensed depuration facilities available to aquaculture producers around the Irish coast; and if Bord Iascaigh Mhara is considering proposals or funding programmes to increase the number of such decontamination sites. [52060/19]

Photo of Michael CreedMichael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The approval of establishments for the depuration of live bi-valve molluscs is a matter for the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA). The SFPA is an independent statutory body and I am precluded by statute from interfering in the performance by the SFPA of a function assigned to it or exercising any power or control in relation to individual or groups of cases with which the Authority may be concerned.

I understand that on receipt of an application from an individual or a commercial entity, a standardised approval process is undertaken by the Authority to ensure compliance with applicable food safety legislation and approved establishments are subject to an on-going inspection regime. The Authority publishes a listing of approved establishments at the link below, with depuration facilities marked with the activity code 'PC'.

www.sfpa.ie/What-We-Do/Seafood-Safety/Registration-Approval-of-Businesses/List-of-Approved-Establishments/Approved-Establishments.

Supports to the Irish seafood sector are provided under my Department's €240 million European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme.

Financial supports for depuration facilities involving a licensed aquaculture site are available under the EMFF Sustainable Aquaculture Scheme, implemented by BIM. The Scheme aims to promote the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector by providing financial supports for capital investment in aquaculture sites. Details are available from BIM at the following link:

www.bim.ie/schemes/sustainable,aquaculture,scheme/.

Financial supports for depuration facilities involving a seafood processing premises are available under the EMFF Seafood Capital Investment Scheme, which aims to promote competitiveness and value adding in the seafood processing sector through the provision of financial supports for capital investment in seafood processing premises. Details are available from BIM at the following link:

www.bim.ie/schemes/seafood,processing,capital,investment,scheme/.

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