Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 to 385, inclusive, together.

For the purposes of this reply, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have a marine element if their boundary encompasses marine waters. 39 such SPAs have published detailed site-specific conservation objective documents.

In addition to Activities Requiring Consent, across all of Ireland’s Special Protection Areas there are many different types of conservation measures in place which are the responsibility of a range of Government Departments and other bodies.

These include statutory measures such as, for example, the Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations 2011, as amended; and consents in areas such as aquaculture and fisheries that are the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture and the Marine as the competent authority. Other examples include the seven Fisheries Natura Plans undertaken for planned fisheries subject to secondary licensing in Natura 2000 sites. Some further examples are set out below.

With respect to seismic exploration, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is currently updating its 2014 “Guidance to Manage the Risk to Marine Mammals from Man-made Sound Sources in Irish Waters”.

An inter-governmental steering group was appointed in 2020 to consider the development of a National Coastal Change Management Strategy for Ireland. Initial findings and recommendations in its 2023 report will enable the state to assess risks and develop appropriate responses. Protected habitats inside and outside the Natura 2000 network are at risk from coastal change, but also from measures to protect land from coastal erosion. An integrated approach to managing coastal change will include habitats protected under the Habitats Directive in coastal planning, thereby reducing the risk of inadvertent damage and loss.

Island biosecurity plans are being developed for important seabird islands, the first being the Skelligs (SPA 004007) and other work is underway on the eradication of invasive mammals on the Saltee Islands SPA.

The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, or MARA, is a new state agency that was established on 17 July 2023. MARA’s functions are set out in the Maritime Area Planning Acts 2021 and 2022, and it will have a key role to play in the new streamlined consenting system for the maritime area.

A new Conservation Measures programme for Natura sites was established by the NPWS in 2022, supported by the additional resources provided by Government to implement the three-year Strategic Action Plan for the NPWS, approved by Government in May 2022. There are a range of funding initiatives managed by the NPWS to support individuals or groups to assist with the conservation measures in Natura 2000 SPA sites. These include, for example, the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme and the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF). Conservation measures projects in SPAs with a marine element include, for example, projects on Tern breeding sites at Kilcoole on The Murrough SPA and Lady’s Island Lake SPA where nest protection measures are being undertaken. These projects are particularly important in protecting the breeding species on the terrestrial areas of marine and coastal SPAs.

In relation to designating protected areas in the marine environment, recent developments include the two largest Special Protection Areas in the state, the North West Irish Sea SPA and the Seas off Wexford SPAs covering a combined area of over 5,300 square kilometres and protecting more than 20 of our rarest and most threatened species. The percentage of Ireland’s marine waters protected under EU Directives has increased in the past two years from 2.3% to just under the 10% promised by Ireland under the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and means that 10% milestone is realistically achievable within the current year.

In addition to the SPA designations, two large offshore marine sites, comprising more than three million hectares in area - Porcupine Shelf cSAC 2267 and the Southern Canyons cSAC 2278, were designated for the conservation of Reefs, a habitat listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive. The designation of these sites increases the area of Reef habitat protected within our Natura 2000 Network from 10% to 24%.

Designation of these new SPA and SAC sites, will make a significant contribution to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, which aims to protect 30% of the marine area in Europe by 2030.