Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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I move amendment No. 9:

In page 17, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: " "ecosystems based approach" shall be construed in accordance with the term as used in both the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive;".

This amendment proposes the insertion of a definition in the relevant section of "ecosystems-based approach". It seems odd there is no definition of an "ecosystems-based approach" in the legislation but perhaps it is elsewhere in existing legislation.

I am happy to be corrected if that is the case. Given that this is such a fundamental principle of the twin concerns of ensuring we have an adequate supply of renewable offshore energy and, at the same time, we fully respect marine biodiversity, counteract some of the loss of that diversity and continue to protect what is there, particularly in the context of the forthcoming marine protected areas, it seems sensible to include this definition. The definition I am proposing is in accordance with the marine strategy framework directive and the marine spatial planning directive, which are the two overarching EU legal frameworks within which all of this legislation and its subsequent workings have to comply.