Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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1246. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the advisory body for marine protected areas; when the report on marine protected areas from the advisory body will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9439/20]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government's commitment to extend our network of marine protected areas (MPAs) under the National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017-2021) and the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive,  I established and launched the first meeting of the MPA Advisory Group on 18 December 2019.

This independent advisory body consists of 19 senior experts and is Chaired by Professor Tasman Crowe of University College Dublin. I have tasked the advisory group with producing a report that will examine and advise on the processes by which Ireland can extend its network of MPAs in the future. The group's formidable expertise and main activities in this regard come under the following headings: life and ocean sciences; social, economic and cultural perspectives; and governance and legislation.

Since its launch the advisory group has met on a monthly basis, including remotely during the current Covid-19 pandemic, and it has been progressing its research, deliberations and discussions in a focused manner. The advisory group also intends to conduct a round of regional stakeholder fora, in order to facilitate the sharing of views and perspectives on MPAs from key societal, community and sectorial interests, and to further inform the group's subsequent Final Report to my Department. 

These stakeholder events were due to take place in early April 2020 but due to travel and social gathering restrictions they were postponed and are now anticipated to take place in late summer or early autumn, as permitted under the Government's phased lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. I expect the Final Report to be submitted to my Department shortly after these stakeholder events.