Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The general scheme of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Bill was published in December 2022. Following the scrutiny of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, my Department has been working in close collaboration with parliamentary drafters to develop this Bill. While it was initially hoped to publish it in 2023, the legal and technical complexity associated with this ground breaking legislation has meant that drafting has taken longer than anticipated. However, drafting is now at an advanced stage and I expect that it will be ready for publication in the coming weeks.