2527. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the assessment his Department has undertaken of the economic impact of prolonged delays in determining aquaculture licence renewals on existing operators, including impacts on investment, access to finance, production planning, employment and business continuity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56056/26]

The Annual Aquaculture Report and the Business of Seafood Report publishes the economic data collected on the Aquaculture Sector by BIM and are available on their website. The specific impact assessment identified by the deputy does not form part of this data.

The aquaculture licensing process is complex and the timeline for processing an aquaculture licence varies depending on a number of factors including location, species, scale and intensity of production, statutory status of sites and potential visual impact.

Those operators who are awaiting a renewal of their licence and are not operating in an SAC or an SPA are not precluded from accessing grant aid or from ongoing production. Those operators who are operating in and SAC or an SPA and who are awaiting the renewal of their licence are not precluded from ongoing production due to the provisions a S19 4 (A) of the Fisheries Amendment Act 1997 but are precluded from accessing grant aid paid from schemes which are co-funded by the EMFAF due to not having an updated Appropriate Assessment in accordance the the Birds & Habitats Directive.

This resolution of issues in relation to licensing is one of the priorities outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development 2030 (NSPSA). The NSPSA sets out the vision for Ireland's aquaculture sector in the coming years, and includes specific actions in relation to aquaculture licensing.

Generally, as regards investment to support the Aquaculture sector, Ireland’s €258 million Seafood Development Programme 2021-2027 is the primary source of funding for the Irish commercial seafood sector including the aquaculture sector. In the period 2024-January 2026 the EMFAF Programme funding to a total of €3.5 million has been provided to aquaculture operators under the Sustainable Development, Seafood Training and Seafood Capacity schemes.

EMFAF funding also supports the work done by the Marine Institute in relation to the environmental assessments required under the licencing process, and a range of technical supports and services to industry that are provided by BIM. In 2025, EMFAF funding approval was given to fund two additional posts in the MI, for a four-year period, to increase capacity in the team which undertakes the environmental assessments.

My Department will be implementing a mid-term review of the Seafood Development Programme later this year and all relevant stakeholders, including the aquaculture sector, will be consulted as part of this review. This review will form the basis for a potential programme amendment which will re-allocate funds to areas where it has been identified as a priority over the remainder of the programme.

My Department will continue to work with BIM and the aquaculture sector to identify supports that will facilitate sustainable growth in the sector.