Galway Bay decision can wait

Minister Coveney said that the outcome would not be decided until he had more information at his disposal, the Connacht Tribune reports.

“I have put those who are considering this application under some pressure to try to get those recommendations onto my desk but I am far more concerned about getting the decision right than I am about getting a decision made quickly on an application of that size and scale,” he said.

“I think people would expect that from me,” he told the newspaper.

Minister Coveney pointed out that in 2014 he made positive determinations in respect of just two renewal applications for trout farms.

By comparison, since taking office he made 278 determinations relating to shellfish aquaculture.

“When we get a system working, which we now have for shellfish, I will make decisions as soon as I have a scientific, sound basis to do so,” he said.

However, he claimed fin fish farming has proved to be more complex, particularly issues involving the location of salmon farms.

“For the record, because people seem to think I am a Minister who just wants to drive through salmon farm applications all over the place, I have not granted one salmon farm licence application since coming into office and I will not until I get recommendations on my desk, from the Marine Institute primarily backed up by my own Department officials, to the effect that it is appropriate to grant the licence,” he added.