Written answers

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Planning Issues

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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295. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the report by a person (details supplied) in relation to marine protected areas as part of the broader development of a marine planning framework will be published. [39831/20]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future contains a commitment to realise our outstanding target of 10% marine protected area (MPA) coverage in Ireland's waters as soon as is practicable, aiming for 30% by 2030. In this regard the Government has also committed in the Programme for Government to deliver comprehensive legislation for the identification, designation and management of MPAs in Ireland.

As a first step on the path to meeting these commitments, in December 2019 my Department convened an independent group of experts to provide advice and recommendations on the processes required and the challenges to be addressed in expanding Ireland’s MPA network. This advisory group which was chaired by Professor Tasman Crowe, Director of the UCD Earth Institute, met on a monthly basis including remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Marine Protected Area Advisory Group worked intensively during this period in order to formulate and complete its final report for the Department. This comprehensive report was received by me and by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan, TD, on 22 October during EU Green Week 2020. It is now in the process of being translated and it is my intention to publish it in the coming weeks.

An extensive public consultation phase to commence in early 2021 will encourage all stakeholders and the wider public to review the contents of the expert group's report, including its many recommendations, and to submit their views on the best way forward for our natural marine environment and our people and how Ireland’s network of MPAs should be expanded. In accordance with the Government's commitments, my Department also intends to begin developing legislation on the identification, designation and management of MPAs in 2021.

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