Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide an up-to-date list for May 2011 of all of the current offshore marine finfish aquaculture licences issued to operators here in tabular form; for each licence, if he will supply the file reference, the site name, the licensee's name or company, the current operator's name or company; if the site is being used in 2011; the tonnage, area, max smolt input; the licence expiration date; if a renewal has been applied for; the annual aquaculture licence fee; the annual foreshore licence fee and the sum of arrears owing on each licence. [16369/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The very detailed information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in full. My Department's records are currently being examined and a full reply will issue to the Deputy by my Department within two weeks.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will allow aquaculture activities to be carried out at an aquaculture site by a third party in view of the fact that the licensee is known to be a dissolved company (details supplied). [16370/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Current legal advice available to my Department indicates that aquaculture licences held by dissolved companies are extinguished.

Any aquaculture activity conducted by third parties can only occur with the consent of the Minister acting in accordance with the law and good public management.

My Department is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the operators associated with the licences referred to by the Deputy and with Údarás na Gaeltachta in its capacity as the relevant Development Agency.

These discussions are focussed on resolving the situation in a manner that protects the industry to the maximum extent possible while ensuring an appropriate return to the exchequer in respect of the public foreshore occupied by the operators.