Legislation is currently being prepared to enable the designation of MPAs in Irish waters. The general scheme of the MPA Bill was published on 16 December 2022 (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/2fd71-general-scheme-of-marine-protected-areas-bill-2022/). On 7 October 2024, Minister Malcolm Noonan stated: “I hope to have the final draft published by the end of the year” (https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/0511f-minister-noonan-announces-25-million-investment-for-the-development-of-protected-areas-for-marine-biodiversity/). However, the government was dissolved before the end of the year, and Minister Noonan lost his seat in the general election that followed.
On 15 January 2025, Fine Gael published a 162-page ‘Draft Programme for Government 2025’ (https://www.finegael.ie/app/uploads/2025/01/Programme-for-Government-2025.pdf). The draft programme for the incoming new coalition comprised an introduction and twelve chapters. The chapter titled ‘Growing our Economy’ contained a section regarding ‘Fisheries and the Marine’. A sub-section on ‘Coastal Communities’ within that section stated: “This Government will” followed by eight bullet points. Bullet point number three committed the government to ‘Review and strengthen conservation measures for marine ecosystems and wildlife. We will also expand Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and establish wildlife sanctuaries.’ (page 29). No mention was made regarding the Marine Protected Areas Bill that has been stalled since 2022/2023.
Updates are available on the MPA webpage of the government’s website (https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e00ec-marine-protected-areas/).
This page was last updated on 22 January 2025.