Mr. Conor McCabe:

There is so much happening in the maritime area in terms of policies and plans. We are looking at a situation where things are happening over the next six to 12 months that we are going to be behind. We will review the NMPF in the first two years of its life because there will be many strategies ranging from MPAs right across the circular economy and the national waste strategy which will need to be included.

We will do an early review of the national marine planning framework to capture those. As the Senator knows, there is provision in the maritime area planning Bill for the establishment of an enforcement agency. I will have more information on that ahead of the publication of the Bill but we are addressing enforcement of An Bord Pleanála decisions, licensing decisions and commissions, and monitoring of those through the creation of a new agency.