Bantry inshore fisheries licence
Deputy Collins warned that a proposed mechanical harvesting project in Bantry could damage the marine environment and threaten local fishermen, asking that the licence be revoked. The Minister of State said the licence had been granted and later reaffirmed under previous Governments, and that conditions were being worked on to ensure sustainable operation.
In page 122 of the programme for Government, which deals with seafood and the marine, the Government committed itself to the development of the inshore fisheries sector. In Bantry, there is a proposal to harvest mechanically 1,860 acres of sea water, which not only has the potential to be an environmental disaster but also puts the livelihood of 50 inshore fishermen at risk. This Government can revoke that licence. Will it do so immediately? Other people-----
Comment on this
As the Deputy knows, we have discussed this on numerous occasions. This licence was granted in 2011 by a Green Party Minister in a different Government. In addition to that, in 2015 the then Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, reaffirmed the licence and over the past year and in recent months we have been working on the conditions of that licence because our job as a Government is to make sure that any work is carried out in a sustainable manner that respects the environment and that is happening.
Comment on this
The Minister could revoke that licence if he wanted to.