Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I offer my warm words of welcome to the students from Cork. As somebody who served in this House for quite some time, I will say that the Chair kept the good wine until last. The students have come to the rarefied place where things get debated in a fulsome way.

I thank Senator Noonan for raising this important issue. I know of his personal interest and his time in the Department, and how much work he did on that. I have had an opportunity to review it. The Senator was a long way along and significant credit will be due to him when we finally get a legislative framework in place that seeks to address the MPA legislation. I am pleased to have an opportunity to update all Senators on the Government's progress towards the introduction of marine protected areas legislation. This is a key step in protecting our seas and ensuring a healthy, productive and sustainably used marine environment. On foot of the transfer of the marine environment functions from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to the Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Department has undertaken a review to identify the optimum legislative vehicle to designate effectively and manage MPAs.

The Government decision was to try to bring the whole marine function under one Minister of State, and I was fortunate enough to be given that opportunity. One option was to continue with a stand-alone Bill, creating an entirely new and separate statutory designation process in the Irish marine area. The Senator advanced the legislative elements of that very well. The other option considered was to align the designation of MPAs with the provisions of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021, which provides for forward planning, occupancy management and enforcement within a maritime area. In determining which option is optimal, consideration has been given to the opportunity to consolidate marine legislation and not duplicate or reproduce similar procedures in a separate Act.

We have to be mindful of the most efficient way to ensure we meet Ireland's target of protecting 30% of the maritime area by 2030. Anything I have done since coming to office has been aimed at trying to achieve our stated ambition of designating 30% of the maritime area protected by 2030. For me, it was about trying to ensure that we get there as quickly as possible, through an ecologically coherent network of MPAs, and achieving this by empowering us to use the existing spatial planning tool, namely, the DMAP process of designated marine area plans and that is currently under consideration. MPAs could fit well, I believe, into the DMAP structures and their inclusion in the MPA, if decided, would further embed environmental matters in planning legislation, supporting sustainable planning of human activity in our seas, thereby integrating the ecosystem-based approach to management of our maritime areas. Accordingly, it is intended to bring a proposal for Government's approval shortly on the preferred approach. I have a view, which I have expressed and with which the Senator is familiar, but it will ultimately be a decision of the Government. I am hopeful that this will progress in the very near future and I expect that it will be at Cabinet before Christmas.However, I assure Senator Noonan that the extensive work that has already been undertaken on drafting, and he was very much part of drafting that marine protected area legislation, will certainly not go to waste. It certainly informed me along the way and continues to inform our officials.

On the legislation - regardless of whether it will be an amendment to the Maritime Area Planning Act or the continuation of the existing, if that is what is ultimately decided - I assure the Senator that if it is a bolt-on piece to the Maritime Area Planning Act, it will include: extensive and meaningful public and stakeholder engagement; the identification of species, habitats and ecosystem services that are at risk and which require protection and-or restoration - an ecosystem service being a benefit achieved from the environment; the identification of optimal locations to protect these features and designation of marine protected areas with clear conservation objectives; the appointment of a management authority for MPAs; a requirement for management plans for MPAs; a requirement for bodies authorising, licensing or permitting an activity in an MPA to have regard for its conservation objectives; and, where necessary, the regulation of harmful activities in an MPA, with associated offences and penalties as appropriate.

To help inform the future designation of MPAs once legislation is in place, two ecological sensitivity analyses were commissioned from an independent expert MPA

advisory group. These studies of the western Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea identified possible suitable areas for potential MPAs in these parts of Ireland's maritime area. They also developed methods, approaches and standards for identifying such suitable areas. Such analyses of our western and northern maritime area are planned in the future. Additionally, EU LIFE funding of €15 million has been obtained to aid in developing Ireland's MPA network. The State will add a further €10 million in matched funding to this, making a total project fund of €25 million over the period from 2024 to 2033. The MPA LIFE Ireland project and ongoing wider MPA process will ensure the codesign, development and roll-out of MPAs as well as effective ecosystem-based management.