Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will ensure everybody will receive a copy.

In addition, my Department invests significant resources in world-leading citizen activation and awareness raising programmes such as Clean Coasts and related programmes, as well as the green schools marine environment module which has been developed recently. We will continue to attempt to have a positive influence on societal behaviour on matters concerning the marine environment. We intend to address this issue, but we must ensure we do so properly. There are rules with which we must be consistent, including legislation and EU treaties. What I do not want to do is rush this, only to have it challenged in the courts by the industry and thus delayed for months or years. I am with Deputies on this issue. I recognise, in particular, the role played by the Green Party and the Labour Party in pushing this agenda. We are responding and propose to introduce comprehensive legislation to deal with the issue, either by way of a Committee Stage amendment to the Foreshore Act or in separate legislation. We will do whatever is appropriate. The new foreshore legislation which should be published in June will present an obvious opportunity to do that. Deputies are aware of the Seafest seminar which will take place in Galway later in the summer, by which time we will have the new foreshore legislation published. It will be a useful vehicle, from a legislative point of view, to address the matter properly. However, there is further research to be carried out before we can do that.

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