Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It could be the need for a port, as an in extremis example, that is not designated in a development plan. We are seeing such things happening now on the offshore renewable energy, ORE, side, where we may need extensions to the footprint of certain ports as we develop our ORE capacity. An example could relate to that. Let us say a port authority makes an application for a servicing yard for offshore renewables that is outside the footprint of the port and an extension is needed. An application could be made and public notice would be given. If the application came through the local authority, it would be done through the other material contravention process. Public notice would be given that port A had applied for an expansion outside its current footprint because of the ORE need, which would be seen as of national importance. The commission would make that assessment and would be in a good position to do so but it would have to be consistent with Government policy. This applies to the first of the Deputy's amendments in this group whereby he is looking to move away from Government policy and include a reference to the interests of the State. All those considerations are related in this section.