Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss Future of Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) with Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett DSM

Ahead of the meeting at 3pm in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Steven Matthews said: “The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority is a new state agency that was established in July 2023. Its functions are set out in the Maritime Area Planning Acts 2021 and 2022, and MARA will have a key role to play in the new streamlined consenting system for Ireland’s maritime area, which covers the seas out to 320km off our coast and measures seven times our landmass.

“The Chair of MARA is Vice-Admiral Mark Mellett DSM, who is the highest ranking naval officer in the history of the State and a distinguished former Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service and recently retired Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. He holds a PhD in Ecosystems Governance, is an adjunct professor at University College Cork and is a founder of Green Compass, which provides strategic advice on environmental, social and governance opportunities. The Committee looks forward to discussing with Vice-Admiral Mellett the future of MARA and his strategic vision for the authority, the role our seas and shores can play in managing climate change and providing alternative energy sources, and related matters.”

The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.