Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As regards the notice, people can debate that in terms of the processes of the Houses but the whole idea of putting it in here is to do exactly what Senator Grace O'Sullivan is after saying, namely, it gets the recognition of the importance that plan will have. It is putting into legislation the role of both of these Houses and the role Senators will have in that. That consultation has to be there. The process we went through with the national planning framework was honouring the spirit of potential legislation but it did not have to be done. If we do not put it into legislation, Governments of the day, be it this one or the next one, can move on and do the spatial strategy without any involvement here. We are putting it into law that a process has to be undertaken that gives all the involvement the Senator wants.

To me it is giving recognition of its importance that it has to be respected and the marine strategy will have to be developed up through the various levels of consultation involved with the Houses and the committees. It does not have to do so at the moment and the planning framework did not have to either but we did that because we thought it was best policy. This has copper-fastened that best policy and recognised and put the marine strategy on an equal footing with the national planning framework.

I am sorry if the Senator thinks it is short notice. That is a different argument but it is to guarantee a process from here on in because the marine spatial strategy is only being worked on, it is not ready or finished. I chair a working group, we are meeting again tomorrow and it involves all the different stakeholders of all different levels and there will be no limit to the consultation around that. I told the Senator that personally already because I value her input. This legislation guarantees that in case there is a change in Government tomorrow, the next day or down the line. It is a good place to put it and this is the planning Bill to put it into. It recognises the importance of marine spatial planning. That is my read of it and I hope that we have a chance to then work on the spatial strategy in the years ahead. However, this legislation is not to sign off on the marine spatial strategy, it is copper-fastening its importance and relevance in planning law and that we have to respect that as we develop it over the next couple of years.