Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to provide an update on the South Coast DMAP Implementation Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41276/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP) for Offshore Renewable Energy is Ireland's first forward spatial plan for offshore renewable energy (ORE).

As the Competent Authority for the SC-DMAP, I will oversee the governance structure for the SC-DMAP. Officials from my Department are leading on the implementation of the SC-DMAP through the establishment of the Implementation Programme Body (IPB), with input as needed from relevant Government Departments, State agencies and other stakeholders.

The role of the IPB is to oversee effective and sustainable implementation of the SC-DMAP and to coordinate with existing governance structures relevant to ORE such as the National Marine Planning Framework governance structure, the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce and Project Ireland Marine 2040, as required.

The SC-DMAP IPB will be supported in its work by a Marine Ecosystems and Ornithology Working Group, which will develop an implementation plan and recommend to the IPB the scope of the Regional Level Surveys in respect of mobile/migratory species including birds, mammals and bats.

A Technical Working Group will also support the IPB, particularly in relation to coordinating a common, shared GIS data repository for the SC-DMAP.

The IPB has been established and Chairpersons for both the Marine Ecosystems and Ornithology Working Group and the Technical Working Group have been identified. Work on further establishing the wider membership of these groups is also currently underway.