Legislation to protect 30% of Irish marine areas 'almost complete'

Fair Seas identified areas around the coast based on the geographic distributions of 15 species of whales and dolphins. Picture: Dan Linehan

Legislation covering marine protected areas (MPAs) is "almost complete" and will set an ambition for 30% of Irish waters to be designated, Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan has said.

Mr Noonan was speaking after a report from a broad coalition of Irish environmental groups found that a mere 2.1% were MPAs, compared to 10% on average in the EU, and far below the European Commission's ambition of 30% for each nation by 2030.