1686. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions outstanding contained in the Dublin Bay Bill 2021; his view on the need for a coordinated approach to development on the bay, specifically in relation to accessibility and new public amenities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56486/26]

1814. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the need for the introduction of each of the provisions of the Dublin Bay Bill 2021. [58231/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1686 and 1814 together.

The Private Members Bill regarding Dublin Bay proposes the establishment of a new statutory authority to take on responsibility for co-ordinating the work of the many agencies and bodies currently engaged in planning and development of the Bay Area.

There is already in existence a non-statutory Dublin Bay Bathing Water Task Force. It was established in 2019 and its focus is to protect and restore water quality to support biodiversity and to protect public health. The Task Force includes representatives of my Department, Uisce Éireann and the local authorities around Dublin Bay. It is coordinating actions across these bodies to ‘identify, assess and, where necessary, to remediate or eliminate sources of pollution entering Dublin Bay. It is also working closely with Professor Wim Meijer and his ‘Acclimatize II’ research team in the School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science at UCD to identify sources of pollution pressures in Dublin Bay. The data gathered by the research team provides robust scientific data required to help the local authorities to target their efforts in implementing actions to deal with sources of pollution entering Dublin Bay.

The Bill also puts forward a proposal to amend the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 to extend the bathing season around Dublin Bay to the entire year. In June of 2024, the [Bathing Water Quality (Amendment) Regulations 2024] were adopted. The Regulations empower the local authorities to define the bathing season at bathing sites within their jurisdiction annually.

Therefore, while the Government supports the objectives of the Dublin Bay Bill put forward, the existence of the Dublin Bay Bathing Water Task Force and the provisions of the Bathing Water Quality (Amendment) Regulations 2024 address those objectives in an effective and proportionate manner.