Mr. Tom Woolley:

Article 8(1) of the maritime special planning directive talks about the spatial extent and what is identified spatially within a plan. It sets out that in doing so, the relevant spatial articulation in the plan may account for interests, and there is a big list outlined. As set out in the note circulated to the committee ahead of the meeting, we have attempted, where possible, to provide spatial information related to activities in the plan. The Marine Institute, MI, has been instrumental in providing us with the best available information on that. There are a number of policies that apply just in specific areas and therefore they are considered spatial in that sense. What we have done is make sure, where we can, that we have tied policies to particular spatial areas. Ones I often cite in this are ports, harbours and shipping and the various marine side of things.

We have also been sensitive to understanding that stakeholders did not want us to go fully spatial across all plan areas. We have also taken a strategic approach across many of the policies.

The majority of them apply over the whole plan area. It is on a matter-specific basis as to which policies are most relevant in a particular case, be it a specific area or topic being considered. In terms of compliance, therefore, I believe we have spatially articulated the marine activities in Ireland's maritime area through the plan and, where possible, we have set out policy attached to said areas. If a person is coming to that, however, and looking at compliance as being that everything should be provided by the zone then that is not the way we have looked at complying with that article. We have not gone down that route. Coming back to what Mr. McCabe said earlier about the Bill, however, there will be a provision in there to look in more detail at zoning for particular activities and that will go further again to support response to Article 8. Does he want to add anything?