Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 18:

In page 37, to delete lines 16 to 23 and substitute the following: “(3) Where the Minister ascertains an inconsistency referred to in subsection (2), he or she shall—

(a) make a recommendation in writing to the competent authority (D) to amend the draft DMAP to address the inconsistency, or

(b) in relation only to an inconsistency in respect of paragraphs (b) to (e) of subsection (2) give notice in writing to the competent authority (D) of the inconsistency and in that notice state that the draft DMAP does not need to be amended to avoid or mitigate the inconsistency,

as the Minister thinks fit in all the circumstances of the case, and shall state their reasons in full for such a decision.”.

Section 24(3) of the Bill allows the Minister to okay a designated marine area plan that is, potentially, inconsistent with the MSP directive. Our concern is about such a designated marine area plan, which is like the sub-plans within the wider framework. If there is an inconsistency between those sub-plans and the marine spatial planning directive, it should not be okay and the Minister should not have the power to okay it. Our amendment attempts to deal with that and ensure compliance with the marine spatial planning directive.

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