James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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259. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is satisfied that the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority is sufficiently resourced to fulfil its statutory mandate and, in particular, to complete its decision-making process as expeditiously as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19237/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) is the statutory body responsible for regulation in the maritime area.

Section 64(1) of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 provides that MARA may, with the consent of the Minister and approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, appoint such and so many persons to be members of staff as the Authority may determine.

MARA is actively recruiting and recognises that its future structure will be informed by learnings from its first two years of operation and by the demand for its services. MARA submitted a business case to my Department in April, seeking approval to amend its current sanctioned staff complement to better reflect the operational needs of the Authority. This case is under active consideration by my Department and both my officials and I, as Minister, continue to engage with the Authority on this, as a matter of priority.