Dr. Donal Griffin:

To pick up on a couple of the points as to what needs to be included in the Bill, I am really glad the network of MPAs was mentioned. This is slightly different from what Mr. Lyne spoke about as regards acoustic monitoring, but the concept and design of a network of MPAs, not only at a national level but also in contributing to other countries at an EU level of the overall MPA network across Europe, are to ensure the best possible design and placement of the protected areas and what those protected areas are protecting in terms of marine species, habitats and ecosystems to give them the best opportunity to survive and thrive. Fortunately, the indicative designation criteria are set out in Schedule 3, and many of them mention the OSPAR-recommended MPA network design principles and considerations.

As for an effective network of MPAs, it comes back to something Ms Uí Bhroin mentioned earlier, namely,ecological coherence, which is particularly important as it encompasses other important network design considerations such as the connectivity of species and features, the replication of what we want to protect and where, representativeness of what we have in the Irish waters and the viability. My recommendation would be the link between the relevant indicative designation criteria and the need for the Minister not only to designate individual MPAs but to do so by forming an ecologically coherent network of MPAs. That is critical to the successful biodiversity outcomes of individual MPAs. We can have more than the sum of its parts as well in a coherent network.

As to whether we should include carbon sequestration and storage as a consideration for MPA designation, I think we should, and it is provided for under ecosystem services. We have a really important ecosystem service now, especially in light of the climate crisis we are in, but there are other ecosystem services, fortunately for us, that the sea provides that will help us mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change - for example, coastal protection and protection from storm surges, coastal erosion and so on. Carbon sequestration and storage are really important, and the marine has a big role to play in that, but there are other considerations as well.