Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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102. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on ensuring that all marine protected areas only begin 500m offshore. [11613/23]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The Government approved the General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the designation and effective management of Marine Protected Areas on the 13th of December last year. It is intended that the area of application of the Bill will extend from the high water mark on the shore to the 200 nautical mile limits of the national Exclusive Economic Zone.

It would be important not to limit marine protected areas to beyond 500 meters from shore. Significant or critical species, habitats and ecosystem services that are under threat also exist on the coastline and in inshore areas. Where these cannot be protected by existing instruments under the Birds and Habitats Directives, these may need protection under the forthcoming MPA legislation. This would include areas vital to climate protection, coastal protection and biodiversity services such as certain seagrass beds, kelp forests and salt marshes.

It is also important to ensure the area of application of the Act corresponds with the area covered by the Maritime Area Planning Act as well as Ireland's maritime area in accordance with the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Both of these legal instruments have the same area of application as that it is intended to apply under the proposed MPA legislation.