Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I can look at that and work through it with the Deputy but for me, there are two things. The first is the character and nature of what the previous legislation set out to achieve is really important. I made that clear, and there was certainly no resistance within the Department, and ensured that formed part of the new Bill. We are taking the approach by way of amendment. Oftentimes, the word amendment - the Deputy is around here a while so she knows what I am talking about - gives the impression that it is a minor change to an existing provision. That is not it at all, in this case. There will be a substantial amendment to the legislation to give us the capacity to designate around the kind of headings we would have wanted in the previous legislation.

It is important that it ties in with existing legislation, the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 or MAP Act, and has the capacity to utilise that DMAP tool. It appears to be a successful way to do a designation, based on the DMAP for ORE off the south-east coast. In that instance, it was a designation for offshore renewable energy. In this instance, it will be a designation for marine protected areas. Of course, within that, we have to be very clear in the kind of elements that we want to protect. That is why a major part of the ultimate legislation - when it is amended - will have this public consultation piece. That is what takes time. We are working towards 2030 so it is very clear that has to be part of it.

As I said, the main objectives of the previous legislation included extensive and meaningful public and stakeholder engagement.

They also included the identification of species, habitats and ecosystem services that are at risk and which require protection or restoration, an ecosystem service being a benefit derived from the environment. Also included is the identification of optimal locations to protect these features and, based on this information, the designation of marine protected areas with clear conservation objectives. There was also the appointment of management authorities for the MPAs, a requirement for management plans for the MPAs, a requirement for bodies authorising, licensing or permitting an activity in an MPA to have regard for its conservation objectives and, where necessary, the regulation of harmful activities in an MPA, with associated offences and penalties, as appropriate. From our perspective, our plan is that these main objectives of the previous legislation will form part of the new MAP Act through amendment. We will then use the DMAP tools for this designation.

I want to work with the committee on this because I know it has a lot of expertise and interest. We have to decide how we do this and how we get it on the Statute Book more quickly. We must consider whether we will have pre-legislative scrutiny or whether we do it by way of other engagement. The evening after the Government took the decision to proceed in this way I met the NGOs, with which I have regular engagement, and spoke to them about the importance of getting it done as expeditiously as possible while, at the same time, having good input. Whether it is done through pre-legislative scrutiny or through some kind of designated workshop, it is about getting the best work done as quickly as possible and being able to progress to bringing the legislation through both Houses. I am happy to engage with the committee on this as we progress.