Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 83 proposes that the review of the recently made NMPF be undertaken within one year of its first publication. This timeframe is simply too short to accommodate the envisaged participation under this Chapter. I fully appreciate it was not the intention of Deputes to exclude or diminish the public's role in the development of the next maritime spatial plan, MSP, but that would be the effect of this amendment. As stated in earlier sessions, the first NMPF will be reviewed within six years.

I reflected on that through the debate and earlier committees. I stated we potentially will do it earlier, in a few years. Given it is a new policy and it is a significant policy, it needs a period of time to bed down first because it has to be looked at in the round with the other policies that, as mentioned through this Bill, will give effect to and work with a shared vision through it.

In response to Deputy Ó Broin, I understand that the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, will come in to discuss his role in terms of marine protected areas and how they link in through this Bill.