Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 85 sets out a list of factors that should guide the review of the national marine planning framework and who should be consulted during that process. The Bill does not require the Minister to consult as part of that process. This amendment seeks to create a situation whereby we will not have the Department checking its own work in this regard, and that is why we must have a list of bodies specified that should be consulted, including other Ministers and Departments. It would oblige the Minister to consider things like any gaps in the plan, such as migratory and foraging routes for marine and bird species, which are important. The amendment would also oblige the Minister to consider things like the requirement to deliver maritime spatial planning while also achieving good environmental status and the contribution of sea grasses, whales and other sea life to carbon sequestration.

That is an important point. As I said before, there is little point in us developing renewable wind energy on one hand and then, on the other hand, undermining the contribution that is going to make in respect of climate change mitigation and reducing our carbon emissions if we are causing damage via other carbon emissions in the process. Therefore, we must be mindful that we are not simply trying to achieve the generation of renewable energy just for the sake of it. There is a reason we must do that and, in that context, it does not make sense to do anything that undermines our wider goal in the context of reducing carbon emissions. Amendment No. 85 specifically sets out that the Minister would be obliged to consider those aspects.