Alan Dillon
Mayo · Fine Gael · Ireland
“Landlords are generally not in a position to supervise day-to-day waste management practices within occupied properties. The Government therefore has significant concerns regarding both the practicality and effectiveness of these provisions.”
“The Government has commissioned an independent study to examine the feasibility of moving Ireland's household waste collection system from the current side-by-side competition model to a franchise-based system. That study is examining the environmental, economic, operational and consumer implications of alternative market structures.”
“If the evidence supports significant changes to the market structure, the Government will consider those recommendations carefully. If the evidence suggests improvements can be achieved through strengthened regulation, enhanced enforcement or targeted reforms within the existing framework, those options should also be considered.”
“We also want to see a well-designed waste collection system that not only delivers environmental benefits but also provides householders with the opportunity to reduce their own household waste costs through reducing residual waste, correctly segregating recyclable materials and correctly segregating organic materials.”
“We have a lack of capacity so we need to continue that, and investment certainty is really important in that regard but also to enable Ireland to meet both our national and European obligations, which are far reaching. These will all benefit from a stable and predictable policy framework.”
“Ireland requires continued investment across the waste and resource sector. We need investment in collection infrastructure, recycling capacity, material recovery technologies, organic waste treatment, digital systems and innovation. Those making long-term investments require certainty regarding Government policy.”
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“If it is an issue of concern, we will respond in a systematic way to try to address some of the challenges that smaller businesses may encounter. Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the floor of the House.”
“I acknowledge the points the Deputy has raised. The Minister, Deputy Burke, the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, and I are listening to businesses and SMEs. We have established the cost of doing business advisory forum, which is independently chaired. It engages directly with the key SME employer representative bodies, including IBEC, Retail Excellence Ireland, ISME and Chambers Ireland. It is a really important forum where we hear about the issues that matter most to businesses but also design practical policy responses. An integral part of that is ensuring that businesses can remain competitive, viable and sustainable into the future. I take the Deputy's point about the delivery and postal cost increases.”
“In budget 2026, we delivered over €9.4 billion in a pro-enterprise package to try to support our SMEs and businesses over the next number of years. We will ensure that Government can respond to the cost pressures but also build resilience into the sector so that we can continue to create jobs and support communities right across the country.”
“Delivery and postage costs are primarily a commercial matter for An Post and that is the reality. We are in the Department of enterprise but there is a Minister of State in another Department who actually deals with An Post specifically. We will engage in open dialogue and listen further to business representative groups either through the enterprise forum or the retail forum the Minister, Deputy Burke, and I chair. If it emerges as a key priority, then certainly we will feed it directly into those considerations and escalate it through the proper channels. I accept some of the Deputy's points and understand some of the frustration that small businesses and enterprises may face with rising input costs. That is why we have stepped up substantive supports in recent times.”
“It is advancing further work on regulatory costs and payment, banking and financial services. Its objective is to identify practical actions that can reduce the cost burden on SMEs and support a more competitive business environment. While delivery and postage costs have not been specifically raised as an issue for discussion by the members of SME representative bodies, the work of the forum is still ongoing. Work is under way to present its findings and a series of recommendations in a final report to Government and the indicative timeframe for that is later this year.”
“My Department is delivering on the programme for Government with two priority commitments: first, to improve the business cost environment with the establishment of the cost of business advisory forum in June 2025; and, second, to strengthen Ireland’s competitiveness position in response to international economic developments with the publication of the action plan on competitiveness and productivity in September 2025. The cost of business advisory forum serves as a central mechanism to examine the key cost pressures affecting SMEs by bringing together business representative groups, Government Departments, State agencies and regulators to discuss a series of agreed thematic areas, such as energy, insurance, infrastructure and planning and legal costs.”
“The Government fully recognises that small and medium enterprises have faced significant cost pressures in recent years, driven by high energy prices, global supply chain disruptions and international economic developments. Despite these ongoing challenges, progress is being made to support SMEs, with the Government taking proactive steps to implement measures to reduce business costs and ease regulatory pressures. The Government is pleased to note there are emerging signs of improvement, with the CSO's wholesale price index showing a 6.4% decrease in the year to December 2025. The cost of postage is a commercial matter for An Post, and I would advise the Deputy to follow up with the company in that regard.”
“We are making an important partnership by expanding flexibility around blended forms of learning and, as I said earlier, the apprenticeship model. We will continue to do that.”
“I agree with some of the Deputy's suggestions in regard to continued investment in key actions under Pathways to Work. I know that needs to provide enhanced supports for young people and jobseekers. The establishment of the employment and youth engagement charter is important to bring employers and young people together to tackle the barriers in regard to getting into the workforce. As I said earlier, we need to continue to strengthen the partnership between our further education and private employment sectors and consider how the Government can support that. We need to break the cycle whereby, if there is no experience, people are not entitled to a job, or if there is no job, there can be no experience. This is about aligning policy with education reform.”
“That is why we have, as a Government, invested in programmes such as Springboard+ and MicroCreds and expanded the apprenticeship network. As I said earlier, we have an ambitious programme to continue to invest in apprenticeships to ensure that every young person can transition from learning and earn the right skills to enter the workforce correctly.”
“I disagree entirely with the suggestion that Government is not doing anything and is complacent on youth employment. We can see from the CSO's recent data that it has clearly identified a temporary demographic and seasonal effect, while there is also a surge in young people entering the labour force for the very first time. That is not a collapse in youth opportunity; it is, in one sense, supported through the creation by this Government, across many sectors, of job opportunities within engineering, green technology and construction. We have seen a huge number of new opportunities being created, even in 2025. We are also seeing that most of the recent increases in youth employment affect those without post-secondary qualifications.”
“It is important to stress that huge numbers of our young people are in education or training as well as in employment. I can point the Deputy to CSO data for this very subject, in particular the CSO data on a series of measures in regard to the numbers of people not in employment, education or training, the so-called not in education, employment or training, NEETs, rate. In 2023, for Ireland, the rate was 8.6% relative to an average of 12.1% across Europe. We are doing so much right here in creating opportunities for young people.”
“This can be due to a lack of relevant work experience among youth workers, skills mismatches, or difficulties experienced in moving between education and employment, with clear seasonal and demographic patterns. However, many of these factors are temporary in nature. As young people widen their professional networks and gain broader work and life experience, their employment prospects improve. It is also important that we focus on employment as well as unemployment, with the former clearly under the remit of my Department. The statistics show that we created a lot of jobs right across the economy last year and that our employment rates for young people are very high by any margin, certainly in comparison to our European peers.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question. The programme for Government sets out a strong enterprise and fiscal framework that prioritises economic and employment growth, with a target of creating 300,000 extra jobs by 2030. I am pleased to report that the Irish labour market saw sustained employment growth, rising labour force participation and record job numbers last year, indicative of a resilient performance. In total, over 2.8 million people are now employed in Ireland. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.7% in January, broadly consistent with full employment. The youth unemployment rate, for those between the ages of 15 and 24, increased slightly to 11.8% in January but remains well below the EU and euro area averages. It is not unusual for youth unemployment rates to be higher than those of older cohorts.”
“We need to do more and that is why we are continuing to invest with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on the craft apprenticeship programme to address the skills gap across the sector.”
“We are all in agreement that we need to address the construction skills gap and that is very much central to the Government's strategy. We do not want to price young people or employers out of the system and that is important to reflect on. We are investing in career pathways, educational access and targeted incentives. We are very much focused on building confidence in careers within the construction sector through apprenticeships and we want to do that. As I said earlier, apprentices are not at the bottom of the pay scale when it comes to their transition with a skill that they have developed over their apprentice programme. Most who qualify are on over €49,000 per year two years post entry into the sector. That is reflective of the programme they undertake, but also their post-qualification position and what that means.”
“It specifically looks at barriers to participation, especially for women, but also for those who are under-represented and those we can include into the construction sector because, as the Deputy said earlier, we need to ramp up the number of apprenticeships coming through.”
“The Government is taking important steps with regard to supporting the apprenticeship programme. We have seen huge investment in recent years. In budget 2026, we allocated over €78 million to the apprenticeship programme. This investment is delivering significant results. We have seen annual apprenticeship registrations increase from 5,326 in 2020 to 9,352 at the end of 2024. We are very ambitious to drive that to 12,500 by 2030 and, indeed, we have worked with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to try to support that. Our focus is on supporting entry and ensuring that we have retention and completion. The Government's new updated action plan on careers in construction for 2026 is an important element of that.”
“For the 25 craft apprenticeship programmes, the minimum rates of pay applying under the employment contract are either agreed within the relevant sector or are set out in legally binding sectoral employment orders recommended by the Labour Court. I know that considerations regarding apprentice wages may affect learner and employer demand for apprenticeships. Wage levels may present a barrier to entry to apprenticeships for some individuals. Conversely, wage costs and training costs may discourage some employers from hiring apprentices. We must consider this issue very carefully. While I take the point about apprentices in training, the CSO has reported that over 90% of apprentices who qualified in 2020 were in employment two years later with median weekly earnings of €935 and over €48,600 annually.”
“When the national minimum wage was first introduced, it was recognised that providing an exemption for apprentices would promote apprenticeships and encourage employers to focus on training apprentices and offering opportunities to them while at the same time recognising the cost to employers in terms of time invested and productivity forgone. Apprentices are employees and all of the 78 apprenticeship programmes are undertaken under a contract of employment. For the majority of apprenticeships, the rate of pay is agreed between the apprentice and the employer with the employer paying the apprentice during both on-the-job and off-the-job training elements.”
“My Department has responsibility for the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. The Act prescribes the minimum hourly rate of pay for the majority of employees in Ireland subject to a small number of exemptions. Apprentices are excluded from the Act and from the right to receive the national minimum wage. Apprentices are excluded from the National Minimum Wage Act in recognition of the unique nature of apprenticeships and the fact that a long-established practice for determining rates, which adequately protects apprentices, exists. Apprenticeships offer a unique combination of education and work experience.”
“As Minister of State with responsibility for employment, I remain committed to promoting flexible and remote working arrangements that work for everyone, including employees and employers. Such arrangements must assist employers as they seek clarity and stability, and must enable communities across Ireland to see growth and opportunities.”
“Despite the legislation, as I mentioned earlier, the CSO data have been very strong and significant in regard to those who are working both in a hybrid and fully remote manner. Over 987,000 people have reported working from home at least some of the time and over 557,000 people working from home more than half the time. That demonstrates the impact this legislation has made. In conclusion, remote working is here to stay. It is part of our modern workplace and our communities. It is certainly part of our national economy but it is and must be supported by legislation that is fair, balanced and grounded in evidence. For those reasons, to maintain balance, to avoid inappropriate interference with business operations and to allow the current review process to conclude, the Government cannot support this Bill.”
“The section specifies that an adjudication officer shall not assess the merits of an employer's decision to refuse a remote working request. Such powers would effectively involve the adjudication officers directing employers on how to manage their business operations, despite the adjudication officers not having any involvement in or detailed knowledge of the employer's operational needs. I would also say that the legislation itself is only two years in existence. It is relatively young, as I mentioned. Ireland is among the first countries in Europe to introduce this legislation. We are reviewing the current effectiveness of the legislation and we will be laying the final report before the Oireachtas by the end of March.”
“Deputy Nash believes the Government should define an objective basis for refusing a remote working request for all employees uniformly, regardless of the size, sector or industry. That would diminish the employer's discretion with regard to how or where their employees carry out their duties. It would have serious implications for productivity, competitiveness and also viability across certain sectors for employers who have between one and nine employees. It would have implications in particular for small and medium-sized businesses, which would likely be among those who are most impacted. Second, the Bill proposes to replace section 27 of the Act and to strengthen the powers of adjudication officers of the WRC.”
“It has been placed on a statutory footing and can be submitted as evidence in proceedings before the WRC, the Labour Court or the courts. This Bill seeks to amend Ireland's current statutory framework significantly. As I mentioned earlier, the reasons the Government opposes the Bill are threefold. The current legislative framework strikes the right balance between flexibility and business competitiveness. We understand that the make-up of businesses across the country is predominantly small and medium-sized businesses. They account for 99% of all businesses throughout the country. We understand the significant importance of those businesses, and that is clear in terms of how the Government perceives the Bill introduced by the Labour Party.”
“An employer may refuse a request having regard to their needs, the employee's needs and the code of practice. When refusing a request, the employer must provide the reasons for refusal in writing. Employers are required to respond to a request within a set timeframe. The legislation provides for redress to the WRC. An adjudication officer may examine whether the employer complied with statutory requirements. An officer cannot review or overturn the merits of an employer's decision to refuse a request. The legislation is underpinned by a code of practice that was drafted by the commission in consultation with the social partners. Their close relationship and partnership ensures that detailed guidance on the process is provided for both employers and employees.”
“Clearly, it cuts across both their professional and personal lives, improving work-life balance, reducing commuting times and increasing time spent with their families. The right to request remote working is available to all employees through the work-life balance Act. We have not excluded any sector, industry or role from this right. It is important to state that. Ireland was among the first EU member states to introduce the legislative right to request remote working. It is worth noting that no member state has introduced a direct right to remote working, but rather European legislation in this space is aligned with our own right to request model, for similar valid and logical reasons. Our legislation provides a framework governing how employees may make a request and how employers must consider and respond to such a request.”
“CSO data shows that almost 1 million people now work from home at least some of the time, with over 500,000 working remotely for more than half of the week. There is no doubt that remote working has become highly valuable and important to many of us and the way we work today. I reject Deputy Nash's assertion that it has failed. The evidence shows that it is providing huge labour market opportunities and allowing for substantial balanced regional development in many towns and cities right across the country. This is reflected in the phenomenal public response to our recent consultation as part of the statutory review of the right to request remote work, with over 8,000 people taking the time to give us their views on what the law on remote working means to them.”
“Second, giving the Workplace Relations Commission's adjudication officers the power to review the substance of employers' decisions and effectively direct which roles are suitable for remote work, would extend their role too far, effectively placing the WRC in charge of elements of business operations without insight into operational needs. Last, it is important to note that this legislation is still quite new. As the Deputy outlined, it is only two years in existence. Given that it will only be in place for two years next month, we are undertaking a statutory review of the remote working provisions of the work-life balance Act. Any changes should wait for the findings of that review rather than preempt it.”
“I will touch on some of the Government's actions to fulfil this commitment in a few moments but I will first address the Bill, which the Government opposes for three key reasons. I will outline them in more detail during the debate. First, allowing employees to request remote work keeps a fair balance between flexibility and the need for businesses to stay competitive and viable. We all understand that not all occupations, industries or roles within enterprise are appropriate for remote working. It is not appropriate for the Government to step in and dictate the terms of individual employment arrangements via legislation in the way this Bill suggests. That is why the current legislation provides a right to request, not a blanket right to remote working.”
“I acknowledge the Labour Party for bringing forward this Private Members' Bill. Remote working has shaped modern work practices and the labour market. I, for one, take the Bill seriously, as does the Government. For far too long opportunity was centred in major cities and larger urban areas. However, remote working has shifted that balance and today we see flexible and remote working transforming how people build meaningful careers while continuing to live, work, and raise families in the towns and villages they call home. The programme for Government recognises these myriad benefits and reaffirms the Government's commitment to promoting flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers.”
“We have seen the benefits of the deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans and we want do to more. I will work with Senator Noonan on that. In conclusion, I acknowledge the broad support for this Bill. With regard to Senator Byrne's comments around anti-dumping initiatives. It is an important issue. Local authorities are responsible for how they manage, police and enforce it. As a Government, we have supported them with funding for mobile CCTV and other deterrents and enforcement measures. We will continue to do that. I will take Senator Byrne's suggestion to increase fines to act as an even greater deterrent back to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and his officials. I thank the Members for their time. I look forward to moving this Bill to Committee Stage.”
“I hope that we will continue to make substantial improvements with regard to our reuse and recycling to ensure that materials are in circulation for a lot longer. With regard to the latte levy and the reduction of single-use cups, we want to continue to make a real impact on the usage of single-use cups. There are too many in circulation. The Oireachtas took a lead on the bring-your-own-cup initiative. We need to see more of that in our public buildings, cafes and restaurants. Anyone sitting in should be afforded the use of a reusable cup rather than a single-use cup. It is a practical measure. We need to look at the infrastructure and not just a national levy. I spoke to people in Killarney and have engaged extensively on this issue. We are reviewing it with the hope that we can make substantial inroads.”
“The report that investigated this significant incident recommended that emergencies like the one in County Cork require a greater inter-agency approach in how we share information, communicate and respond. A new protocol will be put in place by quarter 1 of this year. That is an important learning from what that event presented because still not having a root cause leads to much speculation. There are lessons for everyone with regard to how the root cause of such a kill could not be found. It left everyone dismayed. The protection of the environment remains paramount within this legislation. Senator Noonan mentioned the latte levy. We are working towards the publication of the second revision of the circular economy strategy. That will go to Cabinet next week.”
“It is important and, in one sense, this Bill does not dilute our obligations to that. There is transparency, fairness and opportunities for people to have their say. It is really important that prescribing timelines for proposed determinations in secondary legislation provide the necessary flexibility so that we ensure that we can achieve even shorter timelines as agreed. Senator Conway made reference to the fish kill incident in the River Blackwater. I am sure that we all agree in this House that it was significant and deeply regrettable. Three inspection teams were deployed to the regulated sites within an hour of the notification. That demonstrates the EPA's example and that it did react. However, as the Senator said earlier, the evidence found that there was no link to any of the industrial sites in close proximity.”
“It also protects the rights of everyone to participate in that licence application because there is nothing in this Bill that reduces the EPA's independence and that cannot be stressed enough. We want to ensure that the exemptions are transposed from EU law. That is the transposition from the environmental impact assessment directive and that mirrors what we have within our extensive planning process. We should not have one without the other. Very strict guidelines will be put in place and they will not affect or replace any of our planning laws. We have done extensive work in the past year or two and I acknowledge Senator Noonan's work on the Planning and Development Act. It is the third largest piece of legislation to have gone through both Houses of the Oireachtas.”
“I thank all the Senators for their valuable contributions. They have been very helpful. It was a good opportunity to discuss this before it moves to Committee Stage. I welcome the broad support I have received on this Bill. As I said earlier, it is important to reflect what we hear on the ground with regard to the time it takes for decisions to be made, not just for large scale developments, but also for minor proposed changes to an installation that currently requires a full licence review. In our current climate, that is not practical or sufficient and it needs to change. This Bill addresses the problematic issues through improving the legislation and that is central to what we are trying to achieve.”
“Section 31 amends section 8 of the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 to allow the Minister to pay income that may arise from extended producer responsibility schemes into the circular economy fund. I am sure the Members will be thankful that I have reached the conclusion and will soon sit down. This Bill provides a legislative framework that will give certainty around timeframes for EPA decisions while continuing to protect the environment, better regulate lower-risk activities and remove barriers to both competitiveness and investment in the critical infrastructure, helping us all to meet our future environmental and climate goals. By its nature as a miscellaneous Bill, it also aims to improve our environmental performance through the measures I have outlined this evening and to further protect the environment.”
“More serious dumping offences may continue to be prosecuted under the Waste Management Act 1996. Part 5 proposes amendments to the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022. Section 30 proposes two new sections to that Act, which enable the Minister to designate a public body for the purpose of preparation of green public procurement guidance and criteria that may be applied by public bodies in respect of goods, services or works procured by such public bodies and require public bodies to outline in an annual report each procurement of goods, services or works in the previous calendar year where relevant green public procurement criteria were not integrated into the procurement process and explain the reasons why.”
“Section 21 amends section 37 of the Waste Management Act to insert additional definitions consequential to the provisions of this Bill. Sections 22 to 28 mirror sections 11 to 18 and amend the Waste Management Act to allow for similar provisions, including the introduction of an amended proposed determination procedure and new processes for applications for licences in certain emergency circumstances, allowing for partial reviews of waste licences and new timeframes for decisions. In Part 4, section 29 amends the Litter Pollution Act 1997 to remove the option of conviction on indictment. Fixed payment notices or on-the-spot fines may continue to apply to alleged offences under the Litter Pollution Act 1997 and offences under that Act will continue to be punishable on summary conviction.”
“Section 19 enables any person, including the agency, to apply to the High Court for an injunction on activity that has been, is being or is likely to be carried out in contravention of the EPA Act 1992. Part 3 concerns amendments to the Waste Management Act 1996. Section 20 amends section 7 of the Waste Management Act 1996 to enable the Minister, by order, to make regulations prescribing for matters in emergency circumstances as set out under sections 44A and 44B without the need for such regulations to be laid before the Oireachtas. The provision also removes reference to section 72(12) from subsection (3) of section 7, as that section was repealed under the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022.”
“Section 16 proposes two new sections to the EPA Act. Section 90A, concerning review of part of licence or revised licence, allows the agency to review a part of a licence or revised licence, but only where EIA is not required, and the change does not constitute a substantial change. Section 90B, concerning periods for decision-making, enables the Minister to specify timeframes for proposed determination decisions of the agency. Section 17 amends section 96 of the EPA Act to enable the agency to expand its consultation, as appropriate, to include the planning authority and other persons. Section 18 amends section 99A of the EPA Act to allow the Minister to make regulations providing for the payment to the agency of fees in relation to a request for an exemption under the new section 88D.”
“Part 1 encompasses standard provisions related to the Short Title, construction and commencement, and outlines repeals that are consequential to the provisions under the Bill. Part 2 concerns proposed amendments to the EPA Act 1992. Section 4 amends section 3 of the EPA Act to insert additional definitions consequential to the provisions of this Bill. Sections 5 to 8, inclusive, update the appointment and selection process for the director general and for directors of the EPA. Section 9 amends section 51 of the EPA Act to oblige the agency to report the number of licence decisions made within new timeframes as may be prescribed. Sections 10 to 15, inclusive, provide for licensing procedures in emergency circumstances, including the transposition of derogations under Articles 1(3) and 2(4) of the environmental impact assessment directive.”
“Amendments to the Bill which were carried during the Dáil Committee Stage include the introduction of some new provisions to update the appointment and selection processes for the director general and directors of the EPA and bring them into line with more modern practices; the introduction of a new provision to amend section 99H of the EPA Act 1992 to strengthen the injunctive powers under the Act to mirror similar powers under planning legislation; and the introduction of an amendment to the Litter Pollution Act 1997 to remove the option of conviction on indictment. Fixed payment notices or "on the spot" fines will continue to apply to alleged offences. I will now outline the provisions of the Bill, as amended, to clarify its content. The Bill comprises 31 sections in five Parts.”
“The Bill also amends the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 in that it introduces provisions to that Act in relation to designating a public body for the purpose of preparation of green public procurement guidance and the reporting of public bodies in accordance with such guidance, and to allow the Minister to pay income that may arise from extended producer responsibility schemes into the circular economy fund.”
“A shorter timeline will be prescribed where the planning and licence applications are lodged simultaneously, and for partial licence reviews. These measures will address current uncertainty on timelines for decision-making. Second, it provides that the agency may carry out partial reviews of a licence in limited circumstances only where the agency determines that an environmental impact assessment is not required, and that the activity does not constitute a substantial change. Third, it provides scope for the agency to address licensing matters during challenging emergency circumstances in line with Articles 1(3) and 2(4) of the EIA directive.”
“First, it currently takes too long - two years or more - for decisions to be made and there are no definitive timeframes within which decisions on licence applications are made. Second, even minor proposed changes to an installation require a full licence review, meaning that the full licence is examined. Third, the civil emergency and exceptional circumstances provisions of the environmental impact assessment, EIA, directive have not been transposed into national law to allow the agency to avail of those provisions in future emergency circumstances. The Bill addresses these three areas of concern by, first, providing powers for regulations to be developed that will set timelines for proposed determinations on licence applications. It is the intention that the timeframe will be no longer than one year after planning is settled.”
“I am pleased to be back in the Seanad to introduce the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. The Environmental Protection Agency plays a pivotal role in protecting, improving and restoring our environment through monitoring, regulation and scientific knowledge. There are approximately 900 EPA licences in operation in Ireland, and they regulate large industrial installations in a wide range of sectors, including energy, waste, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, intensive agriculture and food and drink production. Installations carrying out these activities are required to have an EPA licence - an industrial emissions, integrated pollution control or waste licence - in place before they can operate. The Bill addresses three problematic issues identified with the current legislation governing licensing.”
“We ratified the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement in September 2025, following Dáil approval. As I said earlier, we are prioritising work on the MPA legislation and the associated workaround identifying species, habitats and ecosystems. Once that work is sufficiently advanced, we will free up resources in other areas within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the ATS.”