1792. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1686 and 1814 of 28 July 2026, his views on the need to implement section 5 of the Dublin Bay Bill 2021; specifically, his plans to ensure spatial, economic and social development of the bay and renewal and development of land along the bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60368/26]

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’ 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 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.

With regards to the proposal in section 5 of the bill, the responsibility of planning rests with the local authorities. The local authorities around Dublin Bay are responsible for the preparation of development plans, local area plans and planning schemes in their jurisdiction, which guides development in their area.

Therefore, while the Government supports the objectives of the Dublin Bay Bill put forward, the existence of the Dublin Bay Bathing Water Task Force, the provisions of the Bathing Water Quality (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and the existing responsibility of the local authority with respect to development plans and local area plans, address those objectives in an effective and proportionate manner.