On Sunday, in Kinsale, hundreds of people turned up in opposition to the granting of a 62-acre mussel farm licence, equivalent to 36 soccer pitches, off Kinsale Harbour. This was first proposed in 2019, when I raised concerns with the then Taoiseach and the relevant Minister. The new licence granted leaves many unanswered questions on the planning process for this specific licence. First, there was no transparency with regard to the licence awarded. Second, there was no public consultation for local concerns to be raised. Third, there was a lack of information on the risk assessment for Annex IV-protected species. Fourth, there was no social impact assessment. Fifth, no monitoring of the environmental impact assessment is evident. Sixth, there is no information regarding lorries taking away the mussels produced. Seventh, there is no information on the environmental impact assessment of the effect of dredging. Eighth, there is no sign of the terms and conditions of the licence, and so on. Simply put, this planning application, which will destroy marine, leisure and tourism activity in Kinsale, is flawed, and this flawed process is aided and abetted by the Department of agriculture.

Will the Taoiseach urgently look into this matter with the Department of agriculture to stop this damaging plan going ahead in Kinsale until proper planning guidelines are adhered to?

My understanding is that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has determined to grant an aquaculture licence to Woodstown Bay Shellfish Limited and that the licensing process involves consultation with a wide range of scientific and technical advisers as well as various statutory consultees. I am informed that the legislation also provides for a period of public consultation, which for this application was apparently held in 2019 and was rerun in 2021. In total, 609 public submissions were received. I am told the decisions in respect of aquaculture licence applications are only taken following the fullest consideration of all consultations and public interest elements of each application, including environmental considerations. A public advertisement outlining the decision was printed in The Southern Star newspaper on Saturday, 31 May 2025. The public notice said that an appeal against the aquaculture licence decision may be made in writing within one month of the date of its publication to the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board in Portlaoise, County Laois.

Thank you, Taoiseach.

There is a process here. I do not interfere in every single process. I do not have executive authority to do that. I think the Deputy knows that.