Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Having access to that information is a major part of the battle that sometimes happens when one tries to protect something, even in land-based planning. For example, when one tries to deal with information around an architectural conservation area it tends to be a case of whether it is going to stop one from doing this or that. It tends to be light on information that provides reasons for doing something and the benefits that will accrue from it. That type of easy access, like an environmental impact report that would have a non-technical summary, would state this is what it is, this is the reason it is being done, and that is really good. Sometimes it can be too technical or obscure. All of the information might be out there but one must trawl through all of it looking for it. If we could bring it all together, that would really be part of the battle of bringing people's hearts and minds along. The science would support why we are doing it but we also need to bring along the public and those who might be affected by the development but do not see a benefit from it. I believe this to be quite important.

The opening statement referred to public consultation on whether we should do marine protected areas - I have paraphrased there - and the 99% of people who agreed. I presume the 1% just ticked the wrong box.

Was that what it was? How did the Department consult and so on? There is a resounding level of support for this.