The longer critical Irish marine ecosystems are left exposed to degradation, the more costly - and uncertain - their recovery becomes, Fair Seas has warned the Government.
The coalition of leading environmental groups said delaying action was already making it more difficult to meet the country’s international commitments to protect 30 per cent of marine waters by 2030.
Ireland is one of 190 countries that has committed to protecting at least 30 per cent of their land and ocean by 2030.
“Yet with just five years to go, legislation to provide a statutory basis for marine protected areas (MPAs) has been repeatedly delayed in the Oireachtas, leaving the country far short of its targets,” Fair Seas said on Wednesday.
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It emerged earlier this year that the Government was not going to pursue the long-awaited dedicated legislation and were looking at ways to shoehorn MPAs into existing legislation.
“Fair Seas has always believed new MPA legislation should be progressed through a standalone law ... It should come as no surprise, especially given this has also been the Government’s position for the past five years until recently,” said Fairs Seas campaign manager Dr Donal Griffin.
However, he added, the content and quality of the legislation was more important than the legislative vehicle through which it is progressed through the Oireachtas. “We need robust legislation which contains the necessary provisions and framework to designate and manage MPAs effectively.”
In a previously published report, Fair Seas estimated Ireland could protect 30 per cent of its seas and ocean by 2030 with an investment of about €55 million between 2024 and 2030, with €7 million required in the first 12 months to meet the interim goal of effectively protecting and managing 10 per cent of Ireland’s ocean; a milestone yet to be achieved.
“Every delay means potentially greater ecological damage and higher financial costs ... The costs for properly managing our existing and also future sites will continue to climb the longer the Government waits to act,” Dr Griffin added.
Last year, the Government – with EU funding – committed €25 million to the MPA Life project which aims to make a major contribution to protecting, conserving and enabling the recovery of Ireland’s marine ecosystems.
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group chief executive Dr Simon Berrow said inadequate resources for managing Ireland’s existing MPAs was one of the main reasons they were failing to deliver for nature. “After considerable legislative delays, there is growing concern that government commitments are little more than words. Budget 2026 is the opportunity to prove otherwise.”
Emma Armshaw, of the Sustainable Water Network, said there were clear and realistic proposals for how the Government could raise the modest amounts required for marine conservation now through to 2030 and beyond.
“What’s missing is political will and decisive Government action to introduce MPA legislation and make it clear how they plan to fund it. The ocean is under threat, but it can recover if we act now,” she said.
