Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Dr. Mellett for his opening remarks. I apologise as I will have to leave a little early to attend a debate in the Dáil just after 4 p.m., but I will check the transcript later.

Dr. Mellett is very welcome. This will be his first of many regular appearances before our committee. Many of us were very keen to have his role established as quickly as possible on foot of the passing of the legislation. It is good to have him here. In addition to noting his qualifications, which are not only extremely impressive but also very broad-ranging, as is appropriate, I welcome his specific focus on the ecosystems-led approach to this enterprise, because that will be the key to its success or failure.

An issue that came up regularly when dealing with the planning legislation and doing the pre-legislative scrutiny of the marine protected areas legislation was that of co-design. There are all sorts of challenges to ensuring that as we accelerate the delivery of renewable offshore energy, which almost everybody in this committee wants to see, we do not jeopardise other important usages of the maritime area, including those concerning fishing and coastal communities. I am referring in particular to the protection and restoration of our marine biodiversity. This emerged very strongly in our committee reports on the previous legislation and the maritime area Bill. In developing his strategic plan, it might be worthwhile for Dr. Mellett to consider ways of incorporating principles of co-design in dealing with diverse communities. If he does, he will start off on a really good footing, setting us off on a good trajectory.

I have three specific questions for Dr. Mellett and the team. We are still waiting for the general scheme of the marine protected areas legislation to be published. The Minister has told us it is almost finished and should be published this month. International experience indicates that it usually takes about two years to implement such legislation after its passage. Will not having it in place present challenges for Dr. Mellett as a regulator? How will he manage the period between the decisions on consents that he will have to take in the short to medium term and the situation he will be in not only when the marine protection areas legislation is passed but also when we get into the mapping and designation of activities?

Let me proceed to the second question. Dr. Mellett is absolutely correct that independent data will be key to having evidence-based decision-making. This is one of the areas in which we are very weak. Therefore, could Dr. Mellett give us his initial thoughts on how much work needs to be done to bring the independent data up to scratch, particularly before we have the marine protected areas legislation and when he is making decisions on consents, particularly for the legacy projects on the eastern seaboard?

The third question is on the inevitable issue that will arise over trade-offs. We need the renewable energy but environmental NGOs, coastal communities and, in particular, small inshore fishing communities have regularly expressed fear at meetings of this committee that in the rush to fix the renewable energy challenge, there could be trade-offs that will have negative impacts. Is Dr. Mellett acutely aware of that? How does he envisage his role in ensuring the best possible balance in making decisions such that we get the renewable energy but not at the expense of marine biodiversity and the economic well-being of coastal communities?