Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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772. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the projected funding for Marine Protected Areas in 2023 and 2024; if any funding has been allocated or spent to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17009/23]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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774. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on whether the current spend on marine protected areas is sufficient to meet monitoring and enforcement needs; his plans to increase funding to ensure effective management matches Ireland’s commitment to protect 30% of its waters by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17022/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 772 and 774 together.

€425,000 of my Department's 2023 marine environment budget has been set aside for specifically marine protected areas development. Of this, €327,000 has been allocated to undertake sensitivity analyses of the Irish Sea to expedite early identification and designation of Marine Protected Areas in that region at the earliest opportunity after the proposed Marine Protected Areas Bill has been enacted.

My Department has recently applied for EU LIFE funding of over €15 million to complement national projected additional national funding of over €10 million to support our Marine Protected Areas programme to 2030. This funding would be additional to present allocations.