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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D. and the Minister of State Senator Pippa Hackett have announced Project Woodland , an initiative to tackle issues in forestry in Ireland and drive forward the planting of trees.
The Ministers accepted a report on reforming the Irish Forestry Licensing system and committed to its immediate implementation.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister Charlie McConalogue stated, I am delighted to help launch the new strategy for our forestry sector and I give my support to Project Woodland. The new initiative is aimed at solving many of the issues which has mired the forestry sector in recent times .
Government Takes Next Step Towards Marine Protected Areas forming 30% of Irelandâs Maritime Area Total Marine Protected Area (MPA) coverage to be twice the size of Irelandâs landmass
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OâBrien, and the Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, today launched a public consultation on the process of expanding Irelandâs network of marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs are geographically defined maritime areas with certain protections for conservation purposes. The Government aims to expand Irelandâs MPA network from 2.13% to 30% of Irelandâs maritime area by 2030.
Creating an MPA regime will constitute a major change in marine environmental protection in Ireland. At present, there is no definition of an MPA in Irish law. Environmental protections under the Wildlife Acts only apply to the foreshore. Protection in marine areas beyond 12 nautical miles is l