Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today the committee meets with the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA. We are joined by: Dr. Mark Mellett, chairman of MARA; Ms Laura Brien, chief executive officer of MARA; and Mr. Rory O'Leary, principal officer with MARA. I thank the witnesses for their attendance here today.

Before we begin I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where the Parliament has chosen to sit, namely Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. For those witnesses attending in the committee room, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to today's meeting. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting. Members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy. It is my duty as Chair to ensure this privilege is not abused. Therefore, if the statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity the witnesses will be directed to discontinue their remarks and it is imperative they comply with any such direction.

Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

The opening statement from MARA has been submitted to the committee and circulated to members. It will be published on the committee website after this meeting.

As a committee we worked on the Maritime Area Planning Act some 18 months ago, which was one of the most complex pieces of legislation and one of the most important the committee has worked on in the context of how we go about planning, development and consenting in Ireland's huge maritime area.

It was one of four important items of legislation. We had the national marine planning framework, the Maritime Area Planning Act, the Maritime Jurisdiction Act, and we have the marine protected areas legislation coming in too. For the first time, we have seen a concerted effort to look at our sea area, realise its potential and how it needs protection too. MARA is probably one of the most significant agencies to be established in recent times, with the role that it will play in regulating the sea area.

I invite Dr. Mellett to make his opening statement on behalf of MARA.