Three Government ministers are due to initiate the State’s first maritime planning authority in Wexford today (Thurs 13th).
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan and Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney will attend the event at Rosslare Europort.
The Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), which will be based in Wexford, will be responsible for regulating development and activity in Ireland’s maritime area.
Its role will include assessing applications for maritime area consents (MACs), which are required before developers of offshore wind and other projects in the maritime area can make a planning application.
The establishment of MARA represents a “significant milestone in Ireland's all-of-government approach to renewable offshore energy”, the Department of Housing, which holds responsibility for marine planning, said.
MARA’s first chief executive, Laura Brien, was formerly chief executive/registrar of the Health Insurance Authority.
Previously, She was a director at the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) (2014-2020), where she held various roles covering energy markets, water, and compliance.
Former Defence Forces chief of staff Mark Mellett has already been appointed chair of MARA.
The MARA board members are: Karen Banks; Dr Ruth Brennan; Dr James Massey; Philip Daly; Niamh Kenny; Patrick Gibbon; Paul O’Neill of Ireland’s Department of Environment, Climate and Communications; Patrick Moran of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Alma Walsh of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and Brendan McGrath of the County and City Management Association.