Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Future of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority: Discussion

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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We will resume. I apologise to our witnesses for that interruption. It is quite a busy day in the Houses today. I do not know if that is a good day or a bad day to be before a committee. I suppose it depends on what the witnesses are trying to answer.

We were discussing the community fund. For the record, and I am aware that people will be looking in, the Maritime Area Planning Act was complex and fairly substantial legislation to get through. I believe it was back in December 2021 when we did that. I want to clarify the difference between a MAC, which is an occupancy consent, versus a development consent. I believe that some people get those things confused. It would be helpful for the record if we were to try to explain the difference between the two.