Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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383. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy on Seabed Integrity; if he agrees with the idea of having an additional or combined threshold value of 10% of areas without pressures on the seabed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25844/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), threshold values for sea floor integrity have been developed by experts across the EU. Ireland, represented by officials of my Department, was involved the development of these thresholds. These threshold values support technical criteria for adversely affected and loss of habitat type.

A threshold value of 25% has been proposed for the maximum extent of seafloor habitat types that can be adversely affected. Additionally, a threshold value of 2% of habitat loss per habitat type was proposed for the same area. In a written adoption procedure in February 2023 Ireland, like a number of other EU Member States, indicated support for these values subject to a revision when more scientific evidence was available and further working being undertaken on a habitat quality threshold so that the threshold values can be used.

The Government understands and acknowledges the need to protect marine areas from the environmental pressures of human activities. Indeed, this is the rationale behind the Marine Protected Areas Bill currently being drafted by my Department.