Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That is an absolute priority, not just for me but my Government colleagues across this House. The Deputy is right to focus on planning constraints being the real obstacle but An Bord Pleanála is now being resourced with the key expertise it needs in that section. A special unit and team of people are being assembled, with the maritime, ecology and marine planning skills that are needed. That will be aligned with the establishment of MARA, which will be done on time. We got that legislation through the House in time to be able to introduce that body next year, when it will take over the running of that consenting format. There is also the wider legislation that the Government considered the other day, which related to overall improvement of our planning system, the development of marine protected areas and, as I cited, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan's work on the SPAs and the SACs, which is probably the most critical issue we need to get right. Everyone is agreed that this is the first priority in the economic development of the State, as well as in our climate plans. We will deliver it by 2030 and not beyond.

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