Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current staffing levels assigned to the foreshore unit in his Department; if he has plans to increase the resources of the unit to prioritise the assessment of foreshore licence applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48033/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Details on the number of staff appointed to work directly on the management and assessment of foreshore applications and the management of the estate generally within the Foreshore Unit in my Department is set out in the table below.

It is worthwhile noting that while my Department manages the assessment of a number of Foreshore licence and lease applications, it has also been leading on the preparation of significant reform of the maritime planning system in recent years.

In addition to the staffing levels outlined below my Department also has access to an established panel of independent and external specialist environmental service providers who assist in the assessment process. This input complements the work of my Department’s team of Marine Advisors and Marine License Vetting Committee.

The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021, enacted in December 2021, provides for the establishment of a new state agency, to be known as the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), which will be responsible for regulating development and activity in Ireland’s maritime area.

MARA will be responsible for:

- the granting of all Maritime Area Consents, or MACs, for the maritime area

- marine licensing for specified activities

- compliance and enforcement of MACs, licences and offshore development consents

- administration of the Foreshore consent portfolio of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The new regulatory authority, which will be based in Wexford, will be responsible for assessing applications for consents in the maritime area prior to projects applying for planning permission. For example: offshore wind projects, water and waste water infrastructure, bridges, marinas, coastal protection works, flood relief works and undersea telecommunications cables and power interconnectors.

MARA’s regulatory role will also encompass granting licences for activities in the maritime area (including environmental surveys), and ensuring robust compliance through enforcement measures. MARA will operate under the aegis of my Department but will be independent of the Department in the performance of its functions.

A dedicated MARA Establishment Unit (11 staff) is in place within my Department to progress the Implementation Plan to establish MARA. The aim is to establish MARA in early 2023, with staff from the MARA Establishment Unit seconded into the new organisation at that point. Work is progressing across the various work streams in terms of MARA establishment (Corporate Governance, Operational Development and Corporate Development). It was always intended that the functions of MARA would be commenced on a phased basis in line with the growth and development of MARA’s organisational and resourcing capacity.

While it is expected that MARA will be formally established in Q1 2023, it is likely that the new body will undertake its various individual functions incrementally – with consenting operations undertaken initially, followed by the commencement of other functions such as those pertaining to enforcement and the administration of the existing foreshore consent portfolio (which will, in time, be transferred from my Department).

It is important to note that MARA’s capacity to assume the full range of its statutory functions will be dependent on it being allocated and have access to appropriate staffing and other resources. Staffing resources will be required across administrative, legal, financial, technical and environmental expertise areas.

The ultimate aim is to bring about a consolidation of the specialist skills required (e.g. marine planning and enforcement, marine environment and ecology) in one dedicated Authority to provide a centre of excellence to both consent applicants and the State, harnessing support from other relevant agencies where appropriate.

It is a priority for my Department to ensure a seamless transition and a certainty of lead-in time for applicants with regard to the timing of the commencement of MARA’s functions and the ending of the existing Foreshore consenting regime.