Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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796. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason it has taken up to 20 years and longer to process aquaculture licences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61368/25]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Further to my previous response to the Deputy of 4 November, a backlog in aquaculture licence applications developed following a negative judgement by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against Ireland in 2007 for breaches of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives.

In the negotiations to address the ECJ judgement and to enable aquaculture to continue in NATURA 2000 areas in the interim, a process was agreed with the EU Commission and this has been implemented. The process included data collection, the setting of Conservation Objectives by the NPWS and the identification of the scientific interests to be protected in the bays. Subsequent Appropriate Assessments (AA) of the licence applications against those scientific interests were required and appropriate licensing decisions, taking account of, among other things, NATURA 2000 requirements, undertaken.

This work involved multiple survey events carried out by a range of contractors. Profiling of aquaculture activity was carried out for all designated bays in order to define the likely interaction between aquaculture activities and conservation features. All of this preliminary work to prepare the foundation for the consideration of licence applications went on from 2009 onwards. The AAs started to become available from 2011 which allowed licensing to continue.

Since 2012, determinations have made in respect over 1300 licence applications. There are a number of long-standing applications where significant issues have arisen and the Department continues to work closely with the relevant applicants and our scientific and technical advisors with a view to finding solutions and progressing these applications. However, the majority of currently pending applications have been submitted since 2021.

Every effort is being made by my Department to expedite the determination of all outstanding applications having regard to the complexities of each case and the need to fully comply with all relevant national and EU legislation.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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797. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences that were applied for in County Kerry during the past 12 months, two years, three years, four years, five years, 10 years,15 years, 20 years and longer, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61369/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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798. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences that were granted in County Kerry during the past 12 months, two years, three years, four years, five years, 10 years,15 years, 20 years and longer, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61370/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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799. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences that were refused in County Kerry during the past 12 months, two years, three years, four years, five years, 10 years,15 years, 20 years and longer, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61371/25]

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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800. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of aquaculture licences that were withdrawn in County Kerry during the past 12 months, two years, three years, four years, five years, 10 years,15 years, 20 years and longer, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61372/25]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 797, 798, 799 and 800 together.

My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.