Clearing backlogs of licence applications

IRELAND: Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD is promising that necessary resources will be applied to clear the backlog of 254 licence applications currently awaiting decision in her Department

The Minister, along with the Minister of State, John Browne TD, was responding to the Irish industry organisation IFA Aquaculture’s demands for immediate action to address the huge backlog which was causing serious economic and business difficulties for its members in finfish and shellfish farming. She gave her commitment that action will now be taken from January 1st 2008, at the recent Aquaculture Forum meeting in Dublin.

During the meeting, IFA Aquaculture pointed out to the Ministers the extreme difficulties producers had in raising investment, protecting businesses or planning for the future in the absence of decisions on applications for new sites, renewals, reviews and assignations of aquaculture licences.

IFA Aquaculture Executive Secretary, Richie Flynn said that the organisation has led a sustained campaign for a reform of the licensing regime due to the lack of action by successive Ministers.
"An overhaul of the licensing regime is central to the industry's future and this was endorsed as a key recommendation in Dr Noel Cawley’s Seafood Strategy report endorsed by Government earlier this year", he said.