I propose to take Questions Nos. 772 and 774 together.
€425,000 of my Department's 2023 marine environment budget has been set aside for specifically marine protected areas development. Of this, €327,000 has been allocated to undertake sensitivity analyses of the Irish Sea to expedite early identification and designation of Marine Protected Areas in that region at the earliest opportunity after the proposed Marine Protected Areas Bill has been enacted.
My Department has recently applied for EU LIFE funding of over €15 million to complement national projected additional national funding of over €10 million to support our Marine Protected Areas programme to 2030. This funding would be additional to present allocations.