How can the United Nations be expected to take the Taoiseach's words about protecting our oceans seriously when he is dumping the laws that would actually do so? Last month the Taoiseach attended the World Ocean Summit, at which he said that he looked forward to "joining with fellow world leaders over the coming days to discuss and collaborate on ways to secure the future of our oceans and seas". Then, over the weekend we learned that the Government is dropping plans to put in place a law to give protection to vital parts of our seas here in Ireland, the marine protected areas Bill. A marine protected area is a defined area where marine life is legally protected. The draft Bill is well advanced and literally years of work have gone into it. It balances the needs of fishers, nature and offshore wind but this Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Independents is tearing all of that up. Why is the Government so committed to rolling back on the environmental progress that has been made over the last four years? Why is it caving in on marine protected areas?

I thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this issue. The Taoiseach, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, are very much aware of the importance of the issue raised by the Deputy. The reason the Taoiseach went to the aforementioned conference in the first place was to highlight the personal interest he has in this issue and the Government's commitment to do more in this area. Our marine life, our oceans and our seas are such a precious economic and natural asset. I am informed that the Government has no such plans in relation to this legislation at the moment. As far as I am aware, it is still in our legislative programme. I will refer the comments the Deputy made to the relevant Department but my understanding is that the legislation is still on our programme to be brought forward to both the Dáil and the Seanad.