Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House again. The Minister of State might confirm something for me. I acknowledge that it is the Minister of State's entitlement to bring amendments at this Stage of the Bill. That is a fact and I acknowledge it no matter how disappointed we might be but that is the process we have to operate under. In terms of the marine spatial plan, my understanding is that there is a long way to go, possibly two and a half years. There is a very comprehensive amount of documentation on the Minister of State's website which is where I have got a lot of information about this so I acknowledge that.

The Minister of State might acknowledge that there will have to be a long period of public consultation. I live in a coastal community myself, albeit in south County Dublin in Dún Laoghaire but it is right across the country, 40% of our population are touching some level of the sea. We should have an understanding that the Minister of State will initiate a substantial period of public consultation and engagement.

It is worth pointing out that there needs to be a coherent coastal and marine plan. That is important and in many ways I would have liked to have seen it as part of the national planning framework but things have moved on. That is the sort of reassurance we want from the House that it is a working document. I welcome that the Minister of State will be here later this evening to talk about it anyway and that there will be this comprehensive engagement with the fishing community, with local and regional councils and authorities and all that are involved. Senator Grace O'Sullivan is right and she has huge expertise in terms of spatial and marine planning. I do not think anyone doubts that. That is the reassurance that the House needs, that this is not a done deal or a fait accomplibut that there will be a substantial amount of negotiation and public consultation. That is the assurance we need from the Minister of State.