Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We have a range of competing interests that are looking at our offshore area. It should be mentioned that we do not have a senior Minister for the marine even though nine tenths of our actual territorial area is the marine. We do not want a Klondike situation here. We have huge growth in offshore renewables, which is welcome. We have that designated maritime area plan, DMAP, process, which has been good, and the creation of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA. These are important steps, but we need to make sure that one thing does not cut across the other. Similarly, I think a positive story will be told about how we marry our fishing communities with offshore renewables and marine protected areas, but we need to help people to understand that. I will make an appeal over the Minister of State's head, if I may, and ask the senior Minister, Deputy O'Brien, if we can start knocking heads on this and make sure that this happens. I know a number of stakeholders are involved but this is important legislation and I would personally like to see it get across the line.

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