Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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821. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the applications by organisations (details supplied) to become producer organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35197/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Article 14 of Regulation 1379/2013 on the Common Organisation of the Market for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (CMO) specifies EU regulatory requirements for recognition of fisheries and aquaculture producer organisations. The Department as competent authority for the CMO in Ireland has a process in place which allows for groups of fisheries or aquauclture producers to apply for recognition as a producer organisation.

The CMO regulation sets a limit of 3 months for this decision making process to occur but the evaluation and decision process may be paused at any time if the Department requires further information from the applicant to ensure the competent authority has all the information to make a clear decision.

In relation to the status of the organisation indicated by the deputy, the situation is as follows. On 21 June 2020 my Department received an application from the National Inshore Fisheries Association (NIFA) . Following an intitial review of the information provided by NIFA, a letter was issued on 15 July 2020 requesting further information in several areas and it was indicated in the letter that evaluation of the application would be paused pending receipt of the requested information from NIFA.

On 15 September and 3 November 2020, further information was provided by NIFA, but some information is outstanding at present. Once all the information is provided by NIFA, the department will restart the evaluation process and make a decision within the required time limit outlined in the CMO Regulation.