The Housing Minister says the Maritime Planning Bill will streamline the applications process for offshore renewable energy projects.
The legislation passed the final stages of the Oireachtas yesterday, and will now to go Michael D Higgins, for him to sign it into law.
That will trigger the creation of a new Marine Area Regulatory Authority, which will be based in County Wexford.
Minister Darragh O'Brien says any plans or proposals for construction or research would need to go to MARA for consideration:
"To give it their consent, or indeed reject it.
"Why that's important is that if you look at particularly our offshore renewables, we have a planning process that is complex, that hasn't caught up in the advance in those technologies, and especially with the real interest in Ireland as an energy generator for offshore renewables.
"This is a crucial step in that direction because it would allow for one planning office to deal with that.
"We're now going to have, effectively, an expert authority who will regulate and manage activities in our seas.
"It's a once in a generation piece of legislation."
