On the 24th April 2026, Mr. Timmy Dooley TD, Minister of State for Climate, Energy and the Environment signed Statutory Instrument S.I. 177/2026 following consultation with the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. The signing of S.I. 177/2026 means that certain activities are now exempted from requiring a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) when taking place within the nearshore area.
Previously, MARA regulated one day events in the maritime area under Section 76 of MAPA which deals with non-development type activities. These regulations simplify the regulation of the activities, which previously required the organisers to apply for a Maritime Area Consent, for events that lasted short periods of time.
Under these regulations, organisers of events will now need to engage only with their Local Authority in relation to the permits and licences applicable.
The following is an indicative list of the types of events concerned:
- Horse and/or dog racing events
- Foot and swim race events
- Sports events such as tag rugby, kite flying, angling etc.
- Art installations
- Concerts
- Festivals
- Filming
- Sand sculpting
Laura Brien, CEO of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, speaking of the significance of the new regulations said “We recognise the vital role that community groups play in organising local events, and that the appropriate regulation should be proportionate to the impact of the activities on the maritime area Removing the requirement for organisers of these types of events to apply for a Maritime Area Consent, which can be complex and costly, will make it easier for these community groups to bring people together and continue to deliver events on the nearshore in their communities”.