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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 3

Written Answers. - Coastal Protection.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

26 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the plans, if any, there are to ensure that one Department has responsibility for protecting all parts of the Irish coastal environment. [8041/98]

In the coming months, the Government will decide on the essentials of a national coastal zone management policy and implementation framework, in furtherance of the commitment in our Action Programme for the Millennium, to protect and develop the coastal zone and following the lengthy public consultation phase which ended yesterday with the major public consultation seminar in Dublin. In its deliberations, the Government will be reviewing the responsibilities of Ministers, Departments and other statutory agencies in relation to the coastal zone, which comprises very extensive and valuable marine and land-based resources and amenities, to see what revised arrangements may be needed. I cannot anticipate the Government's decisions in those matters.

I can assure the Deputy, however, of my strong commitment to developing better links between myself and Government colleagues and our respective Departments and the statutory agencies reporting to us to protect and develop the coastal zone for the benefit of the nation as a whole, as part of the Strategic Management Initiative pertaining to the public service.

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