Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
11. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the work of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54063/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister of State to provide us with on update on the activities of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority.
The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority was established, and its functions commenced, on 17 July 2023. Up to year-end 2023, the focus of operations is to build on the pre-established work of my Department, embedding both the governance structures and the consenting regime of the agency. A recruitment process is currently under way to enable MARA build expertise in its people, processes and technology.
In undertaking its work, MARA has prioritised the development of its consenting processes for maritime area consents, MACs, and maritime usage licences, including: preparation of guidance; development of application forms; preparation of statutory notices; and associated secondary legislation. It has also commenced consenting application processes for MACs and licences, including holding pre-application meetings with prospective applicants. All phase 1 MACs, which relate to the development of offshore renewable energy, have transferred to MARA from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in line with the provision of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021. MARA continues to engage with that Department on a range of policy issues. MARA is an independent agency in the performance of its functions in accordance with the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021.
MARA's responsibility is broad and includes: MACs for specified activities; enforcement of MACs; licences and offshore development consents; investigations and prosecutions; administration of the existing foreshore consents portfolio; fostering co-operation between regulators of the maritime area; and managing the existing State foreshore portfolio. As the Deputy can see, MARA has a broad range of functions and important responsibilities in an area of the marine that will be hugely significant from an economic perspective and in the protection of our marine area.
I thank the Minister for the response and update. I am very passionate about offshore wind generation but Ireland has a significant success story to tell in the delivery of onshore wind generation, which I would like to see us continue. The key to our success as a potential clean energy exporter is for us to staff, equip, fund and deliver on the commitments we have given and we can only do that with MARA.
What is the capacity of the organisation? I fully accept that it has only been established for six months but what is the capacity of the organisation to help us meet our 2030 targets? As I am sure the Minister of State will accept, it is looking highly unlikely that we will reach our 5 GW offshore wind target. It is not for the lack of trying or ambition. It is primarily down to the bogged down process we have developed over generations when it came to planning. MARA is a fresh look and a fresh take and that has been required. I commend the Minister of State and his Department on the work they are doing but it is crucial that they are funded appropriately and provided with the necessary level of expertise to get this job done in order that we can close the loop and ensure the MACs the Minister of State has mentioned are successful in the first place.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy. This is critically important for the State and our ambition in offshore renewables.
I assure the Deputy the Government is ensuring the resources required for MARA to deliver on that ambition are put in place and there is support to do so. As I said, it has gone from a standing start when its functions commenced on 17 July this year towards looking at the resources it needs. It has a very good board in place, chaired by Mark Mellet, a retired vice admiral of the Naval Service. The board has a broad range of skills required to help deliver.
On the Government's ambition, it is vitally important MARA continues to be supported to deliver on what is a very ambitious programme. I am confident we have the infrastructure in place to realise that ambition.
I am pleased to hear the Minister of State make those comments. I have no doubts about the capacity of Mark Mellet. I know the man well. I was on the justice committee and defence committee for many years and so had reason to meet him many times. I am acutely aware, though, of the pressures on both the private and public sectors when it comes to hiring people with the appropriate level of expertise across the board, whether it is the person making the cup of coffee or the one planning the next wind farm off the coast of Wicklow, Waterford, Wexford or wherever else we are looking. There are extreme pressures in that regard and I want to ensure we have the capacity to be flexible when it comes to recruitment concepts coming out of MARA on how the authority can reach the level of expertise it needs to deliver these targets. It will do so, not for us, but for the environment and the less well-off who we must support through energy poverty, among other things, by dramatically reducing the overall cost of the generation of electricity. I can see this extraordinary potential off the coasts of Ireland, especially off the Atlantic coast, and we can only do that if MARA is a success.
I again agree wholeheartedly. There is no doubt there is a race on and it is not just on in Ireland, but right across Europe and globally. The resources the Deputy spoke about are therefore required across the world. Ireland is competing in a very competitive market for the expertise required. The Department has worked on giving certainty to the sector. The delivery of offshore renewables is interrelated with the marine environment, special protection areas for birds and all those areas. We are working to ensure our offshore renewables can work in a way that is compatible with the protection of marine biodiversity. The State will certainly not be found wanting in the provision of resources. The issue is one of trying to attract the skilled professionals we need and, as I said, it is a competitive sector because all countries are in the race to totally decarbonise. The State will continue that ambition into the future.
