I am sure you do. So do I.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to bring the Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021 before the Seanad. This Bill is the most significant legislative reform of maritime governance since the foundation of the State. It seeks to establish a coherent and comprehensive marine planning system to manage development and other activities in Ireland's seas, which is one of the largest maritime areas in the European Union and seven times larger than our land mass. It covers an area of almost 500,000 square miles. This once-in…

I thank all Senators for their very considered contributions. I welcome the support of all parties and none in the House. It is very important legislation. I will deal with some of the issues on Committee Stage. We might be able to deal with them in a little bit more detail then. I have taken notes of all comments made. Section 6 of the Bill has been amended to reflect public participation and to allow for it, which is very important. Senator Boyhan participated in the committee, along with Senators Moynihan, Fitzp…

We need to move on and do it. That is what this is about. I will deal with a couple of the issues that were raised. Public participation is really important. Section 6 of the Bill has been amended to reflect that. On the resourcing of MARA, I updated the Cabinet today on the establishment of the regulatory authority. An implementation committee will start in my Department in January. We have a budget of €2 million. We intend to move ahead with the appointment of a chairperson and an interim board, and to advertise …

We will explain it in a bit more detail.

I take the Senator's point, absolutely. I have already dealt with the area of judicial reviews and public participation, and I will go through that in more detail. Applications that are currently within the system, under the current foreshore arrangement in my Department, will continue there and will conclude there. It will be for new applications coming through. It is important for our coastal communities and the country as a whole that they know they have a Government that is prioritising the maritime area and re…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Paul Donnelly as ucht an t-ábhar seo. I accept the motion in the spirit in which it is tabled. Anybody who knows me knows that during all my time in the Dáil, I have been a strong and ardent supporter of the Dublin Fire Brigade since well before I took ministerial responsibility for fire and emergency services, a responsibility I have not delegated to a Minister of State and have retained for myself. I have friends involved in the fire service, as many of us do, and I see the work t…

I have been there too. Do not worry about it. I just wanted to give the Deputy a chance to list everywhere.

The Deputy might not have heard my opening remarks.

Do not doubt my seriousness on this issue, please.

All I wish to do is thank all Deputies for their contributions to the Second Stage debate. We have Committee Stage later on. I will respond to queries that have been raised.

I move: That the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 [ Seanad ] be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which shall, in accordance with Standing Order 101, send a message to the Dáil not later than 3 December, 2021, in relation to the completion of its consideration of the Bill.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 on Second Stage. I thank Members for facilitating the debate on this very important Bill. We just completed Report and Final Stages in the Seanad earlier this week. Over the course of its passage through that House, Senators were very much engaged with the subject matter of the Bill. The debate was lively, constructive and detai…

It is not mandatory.

That is why we have this Bill.

The Deputy voted against the LDA.

The Deputy should stop.

We can answer. The Deputy knows they are coming in on the 10th.

On the development plan, it is important to say that that is in it.

I will answer the Deputy on Committee Stage.