Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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217. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update, including approximate timelines for the progression of legislative phases in both the Dáil and Seanad, on the Marine Protected Areas Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2243/24]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to achieving 30% Marine Protected Area (MPA) coverage of Ireland's Maritime Area by 2030, in line with the Programme for Government, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and a number of International initiatives such as the UN post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. To this end my Department has been working in close collaboration with parliamentary drafters over the past several months to develop the Marine Protected Areas Bill and I anticipate that the Bill will be ready for publication in the first quarter of 2024.The progression of legislation is solely a matter for the Oireachtas. Nevertheless, I hope that the Bill will be enacted as speedily as possible.