Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I beg your pardon. I completely forgot; I will break all the rules just for the moment because the fault is mine. I meant to let Deputy Durkan in on the last question. I am breaking the rules but I am at fault.

Deputy Malcolm Noonan: I assure the Deputies that thyere is no lack of political will. It is our utomst priority. I appreciate the support from the committee and across the House. It is not tos ay there is any conflict between offshore renewables and marine biodiversity. As I said, the ecological sensititivty analsyes has been condueced for the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. They will contineut inform processes around esignation and areas fit for offhsore renewblae. Separately, I mentioned the two SPAs, in aprticular the largest in the history of the Irish State, tje seas off Wexford, have brought us closer to the 10r% tsrict??? protection, which was set out in the programme for Government. We are there in that regard. This is the last piece of the jigsaw the MPA legislation. We want it to be published. I would love for it to get through the Houses of the Oireacthas in the lifetime of this Government but that is not something I am in control of. I stress that every effort is being made. I am also conscious that when I met fishing communities going back three or four years ago, they want this from a hiertiage perspective to protect fisheries

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