Dr. Mark Mellett:

I thank the Deputy. He has really summed up our challenges very succinctly. I will deal with the last point first. The challenge for us is that perfection is the enemy of the good. We have an existential challenge in that 37 billion metric tons of carbon are going into the atmosphere each year. Ireland is challenged in this regard because our carbon footprint is not being reduced at the speed we would like. The means by which we can accelerate the opportunity to bring the trapped electrons ashore is something we should keep our eye on. That said, we have almost 900,000 sq. km of sea area in respect of which we have jurisdiction and sovereignty over seabed and sub-seabed resources.

Regarding space, there is a trade-off regarding areas of that jurisdiction that are quite benign from an environmental point of view. Ireland is fortunate in that it invested a number of years ago in the Irish national seabed survey, one of the largest mapping exercises in the world. Ireland therefore has significant data already at its disposal to make informed decisions. I am aware that there is urgency with regard to bringing forward the marine spatial planning legislation but, to move to the second point, namely whether we will be hampered if the legislation is not enacted, I have asked, certainly with the executive, that there be bilateral communication on how the legislation is crafted so there are no surprises. Ms Brien can comment on this. This kind of collaboration and co-operation, which we are mandated or required to do under MAPA, is such that we will work with other elements of government to ensure communication and transparency that result in optimised decision-making and informed decisions.

On the vulnerable marine ecosystems where no damage should be done, there is a significant amount of data. I have already dealt with fishers to leverage their expertise because they are competent individuals already working in the environment. Their innate knowledge is of great value to us. The offshore renewable energy, ORE, seafood group, which is already up and running, gives us a vehicle by which to get information from stakeholders who have been in the terrain for many decades and who can help inform some of the decisions we must make. At the end of the day, it goes back to the Government. It is important that the Government govern and that the ultimate decisions, reflecting the collective wisdom of key stakeholders, come to a point of truth and that recommendations be made concerning the awarding of consents if that is what is decided.