Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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135. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the marine protection plan. [17531/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - contains a commitment to realise Ireland's outstanding target of 10% marine protected areas (MPAs) as soon as practical and to aim for 30% MPAs by 2030. This commitment will advance the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017 - 2021) while supporting the principles and ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy.

As a first step, the independent MPA Advisory Group, established in December 2019 by my Department, is working on its report and recommendations on how to achieve this goal. The group has been meeting on a monthly basis, including remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it has been progressing its research and deliberations in a focused manner.

I expect the Final Report of the MPA Advisory Group to be submitted to my Department in October 2020. Following receipt of this report the Government will consider the next steps in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government.