This article is from page 8 of the 2013-07-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
A NORTH Clare group has called into question the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) used as part of the license application for a massive fish farm off the Clare coast.
The Galway Bay Protection Group, which was establish by a number concerned local last month, has expressed concerns over the EIS, which was compiled jointly using by the Irish Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) – the government agency who are themselves proposing the fish farm.
Galway Bay Protection Group member and local doctor, Fergus Glynn, said that a number of questions remain unanswered concerning the EIS.
“The master of the Marine Institute and the master of BIM is Simon Coveney [Minister for Agriculture] and Simon Coveney has publicly and privately backed this fish farm from the word go. We don’t feel that the people who have been tasked with completing this EIS have been allowed to do their job fully and independently,” said Dr Glynn.
“We have spoken to a number of experts about this and the conclusion that we have come to is that, not only are their questions about the real independence of this study, but also there is questions over the scientific rigor and the level of research done.”
A BIM spokesperson has rejected claims that the EIS not been completed to a high standard.
“The EIS was compiled by leading scientists; principally from the Marine Institute, some from BIM and other specialists from the private sector. As the applicant BIM had to take responsibility for the overall production of the EIS, as that is how the law concerning applications for aquaculture licencing is formulated in Ireland,” he said.
“The applicant must submit the EIS and the licencing authority then scrutinise it. BIM will not be issuing or managing the licensing. That function rests with the Aquaculture and Foreshore Management Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, that body is completely separate from BIM.”
A fundraising event for the group will take place this Sunday, July 7, at Greene’s Yard in Ballyvaughan from 4pm to 9pm.