Malcolm Noonan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. My first question is for Mr. Cunniffe and relates to the recent policy decision of the Government around what was the development of the marine protected area, MPA, network through legislation. He will be aware I spoke at Wind Energy Ireland's conference in 2024 about marrying the needs of marine biodiversity with the ambition for offshore renewables. Has the change of direction taken to incorporate the 30 by 30 targets into the Maritime Area Planning Act and the designated maritime area plan, DMAP, process created uncertainty in the sector?

We were very close to finalising that piece of legislation and it would probably be the quickest and best way to get where we want to be in terms of the need to know where the areas are. We accelerated the special protection areas, SPAs, in the seas off Wexford and the east coast, which were very helpful to the sector as well. It is about that uncertainty for the sector in order that a planning system we will know where the areas of interest are for marine biodiversity.