Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the offshore wind farm planning legislation. [17530/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently working in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, who are leading the development of the provisions specific to Offshore Renewable Energy, to further develop the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill.

The finalised General Scheme for the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill was published by my Department in January 2020. This Bill will provide the legislative basis for Ireland's new marine planning regime. The commitment in the Programme for Government to enact this legislation in nine months reflects the priority it has been accorded.

Further policy work is continuing on the development of certain aspects of the proposed regime and engagement is also continuing with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, other Departments and agencies on the drafting of the legal text.