Minister Dooley announces the government appointment of Dr Shane McCarthy as the new Chairperson of the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board
- Published on: 3 October 2025
- Last updated on: 12 October 2025
Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine, Timmy Dooley, today announced the government appointment of Dr Shane McCarthy as Chairperson of the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board (ALAB).
Commenting on Dr. McCarthy’s appointment, Minister Dooley said:
“I very much welcome the government’s appointment of Dr McCarthy as Chairperson of ALAB. Dr McCarthy brings with him a strong legal background and extensive experience across a number of senior roles, including within independent statutory and regulatory bodies. In that context, I have no doubt that, under his chairmanship, the board will continue to operate efficiently in fulfilling its important function of independently determining appeals on aquaculture licence applications. In doing so, the board will continue to support public confidence in aquaculture licencing decisions.”
Established in 1998 under Section 22 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997, ALAB provides an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the relevant Minister on aquaculture licence applications. The most recent ALAB Annual Report (2023) notes that there were 44 aquaculture appeals, across nine bays, on hand by that year end.
Aquaculture licencing is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine which also processes the companion foreshore licences required for coastal aquaculture operations. Irish aquaculture is a central aspect of Ireland’s seafood economy and refers to the production of various types of shellfish such as oysters and mussels, the production of finfish such as salmon, as well as the production of seaweed. Ireland’s aquaculture sector performed strongly in 2024, with the value of aquaculture outputs increasing by 25% to €211 million.
Minister Dooley stated:
“The production of Irish aquaculture contributes in no small way to the sustainable development of Ireland’s seafood sector, to food security and its importance to job security in our rural coastal communities cannot be understated. The importance of the sector is also reflected in the significant level of supports offered through Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme, and Government will continue to work with the sector to help it identify and capitalise on future growth opportunities.”
Dr McCarthy is appointed for a term of five years.
Notes
The Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board was established on 17 June 1998 under Section 22 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997 (as amended). The Board operates under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.
The function of the Board is to provide an independent authority for the determination of appeals against decisions of the relevant Minister on aquaculture licence applications. A person aggrieved by a decision of the Minister on an aquaculture licence application, or by the revocation or amendment of an aquaculture licence, may make an appeal within one month of publication (in the case of a decision) or notification (in the case of revocation/amendment).
The Board is an independent body with its own funding provided for by the Oireachtas under Section 36 of the 1997 Act.
The Chairperson of the Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board is appointed in accordance with Section 23 and Section 24 of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997. All Board members are engaged on a part-time basis.
Further information on the constitution of the Board is available on the ALAB’s website.