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.
On 5 February 2025, during a debate in Dáil Éireann, Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage “to provide an update on marine protected area legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.” The Minister provided the following written answer: “The Marine Protected Areas Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting. It is my intention to seek government approval to publish the Bill in the first half of this year.” (Source: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-02-05/597/).
On 18 February 2025, following approval by Government earlier that day, Government Chief Whip, Minister of State Mary Butler published the Spring Legislative Programme. The programme confirmed that 21 Bills are prioritised for publication, and a further 29 Bills are scheduled for drafting over the course of the Spring 2025 13-week Dáil term. (Source: https://www.gov.ie/ga/preasraitis/cce00-government-chief-whip-minister-of-state-mary-butler-publishes-spring-legislative-programme/). The bills listed included the Marine Protected Areas Bill.
On 4 March 2025, Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister “if he will provide an update on the Marine Protected Areas Bill; if he intends to continue with the approach taken last term or if he plans to take a new approach; if the previously identified technical issues with the Bill remain; and if he will make a statement on the matter”. The Minister provided the following written answer: “The Marine Protected Areas Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting. It is intended to finalise this draft as soon as possible and seek government approval to publish the Bill this year. Most of the outstanding technical issues have been resolved. However, there are still a small number currently under consideration. The draft Bill will also need revision to reflect new Ministerial responsibilities and transfers of functions between Departments once these have taken place” (Source: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-03-04/451/).
On 10 June 2025, Taoiseach Micheál Martin was reported as stating in an address the previous day to the UN Oceans Conference in Nice that Ireland was “moving to protect 30 per cent of its marine area by 2030” (The Irish Times, issue dated 10 June 2025, page 2).
In early July 2025, the long-awaited Marine Protected Areas Bill was abandoned by government. Former Minister Malcolm Noonan described the move as ‘shameful‘ and ‘a retrograde step‘: https://www.facebook.com/reel/729778326417384
On 1 August 2025, the responsibility for marine environment functions, including marine protected areas, was transferred to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) and a review concluded that it was preferable to consolidate marine legislation as much as possible rather than having a separate Marine Protected Areas Act.
On 13 November 2025, the government approved the preparation of a General Scheme for the Maritime Area Planning (Marine Protected Areas) (Amendment) Bill to provide a legislative basis for the designation and effective management of marine protected areas in Irish waters. Ireland has committed to achieving at least 30% coverage of the maritime area by an ecologically coherent network of MPAs by 2030 further to (1) the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, (2) the OSPAR Regional Sea Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic, and (3) the UN CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (COP 15, 2022).