Ms Lorraine O'Donoghue:

I thank the Chairman and wish everyone a good morning. I will open by providing an overview of the way in which marine issues are being handled at present across the Government. Some time ago, in recognition of the need for co-ordination and integration among Departments with an interest in marine issues, the Government established a high level marine co-ordination group. It is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, and includes representation from the Departments of the Taoiseach, Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Environment, Community and Local Government, Transport, Tourism and Sport, Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Public Expenditure and Reform. Representatives from the Marine Institute also attend. Under the auspices of the group, the integrated marine plan for Ireland, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, was developed. Its vision is to ensure that the oceans contribute to economic recovery while generating benefits for citizens and this vision is underpinned by three high-level goals, namely, a thriving maritime economy, healthy ecosystems and engagement with the sea.

The aforementioned plan recognises that managing the seas requires a national marine spatial plan, which should be underpinned by effective planning and licensing frameworks. To this end, the group established what we refer to as the enablers' task force on marine spatial planning. It is regarded as a key action of the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth plan and the group's terms of reference include the consideration of emerging European Union policy in this space, the need for legislative change that may be required to support a national marine spatial planning framework, international best practice in the area and consideration of a national spatial planning capacity and responsibility for data co-ordination and exchange. This task force is carrying out its work programme at present and is due to conclude and report to the marine co-ordination group in September. In this regard, the publication of the draft directive is timely as it will give the group an opportunity to consider both initial member state views and institutional views of maritime spatial planning across the European Union, which it will then consider in the context of its wider work programme.

I should clarify that four Departments are represented here today and pending the outcome of the enablers' task force on consideration of marine spatial planning for Ireland, no lead Department has been identified as yet.