Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil will be supporting the motion and I commend Senator Grace O'Sullivan for the great work she has done on it. She must have devoted an enormous amount of time to drafting such a comprehensive motion, which is welcome. It is unfortunate that such a motion had to be tabled to stimulate the action that should already be under way at Government level.

As an island nation, we have a special relationship with the oceans. We have a moral and economic obligation to protect and enhance the immense natural resources of our waters and ensure future generations will be able to enjoy them. There would be no need for the motion if the Government had taken action to tackle these issues at an earlier stage. Why has it delayed doing what needs to be done? Urgent action needs to be taken and the Government’s amendment shows how much it is in denial on the task in front of it. We have just heard Senator Paudie Coffey cite the Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, as the reason some of these actions cannot be taken. The Government plays a big role in the negotiations on the CFP and with some joined up thinking, one could enhance the other.The Government knows the actions called for in the motion are necessary. It is way behind on meeting its commitments. If one looks at the upcoming deadline of 2020 to have 10% of marine area designated, it is nowhere near it. It is clear the Government knows it is falling behind its commitments. Like St. Augustine, it says it wants to do the right thing, but just not yet. The way the Government has gone about trying to evade its responsibility in the countermotion is sad. The motion talks about the pressures on Irish seas and oceans and the need for us to take action to tackle this. The Government responds that the oceans are facing pressure globally. I have a newsflash for the Government. Ireland is also part of the globe and we have a responsibility to do our bit to look after our part of it and so far, this Government is failing miserably. The motion points out that just over 2% of our marine area is designated as marine protected area, which is the second lowest in the EU. These are mainly concentrated around river estuaries and along the coast, leaving ocean species unprotected. The Government response is to claim that almost 17% of Atlantic territorial waters are now protected. It does not mention is that it is talking mainly about other countries' territorial waters, not our own. The fact remains that we are way off our 2020 target of 10% and have enormous work to do to reach our 2030 target of 30%. The Government is trying to shirk its responsibility, but it is clear it is in denial about the extent of commitment required to properly address this issue.

The motion refers to the fact that whale and dolphin strandings are up by 350% in the last ten years. The Government's response is that establishing cause of death in those strandings is a “complex matter”. This is clearly not a Government that is focused on taking action. Instead it prefers to duck and dive its responsibilities while further damage to our marine natural resources continues. In its countermotion, the Government promises to bring forward legislation to designate marine protected areas, but it has been saying that for a while now and yet still there is nothing to show for the empty promises. We are here debating this motion, when instead, as Senator Coffey mentioned, we could be passing the legislation required to deal with this issue and to fulfil our moral and legal obligations. The time to act is now and the Government must act on this motion as matter of environmental urgency. The Senator has to be commended for bringing the motion. It is unfortunate that it has come to this because this legislation is long overdue and every day that it is not introduced or passed is another day of detriment to our natural environment.