Joe Cooney (Clare, Fine Gael)
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324. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the marine protected areas Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33476/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Marine Protected Areas Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting. It is intended to finalise this draft as soon as possible. However the Bill will need revision to reflect new Ministerial responsibilities and transfers of functions between Departments once these have taken place.

It should be noted that, in the context of this forthcoming transfer of the marine environment function from my Department to the Department of Climate Energy and the Environment, an exercise is being undertaken to explore how the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 could be revised as an alternative approach, so that the overarching objectives of MPA Bill might be met through amendment of that Act.

A decision as to which is the optimal legislative approach will be taken shortly after the transfer of the marine environment function. This decision will be based on which approach will allow for the earliest designation of an ecologically coherent network of MPAs to enable Ireland to meet its target of 30% MPA coverage of our maritime area by 2030.