To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in relation to restoring marine ecosystems, what consideration his Department has given to implementing a similar scheme to the £500 million Blue Planet Fund introduced by the UK Government.

The Blue Planet Fund aims to support developing countries to protect the marine environment and reduce poverty.

In Northern Ireland, my Department is developing proposals to support the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems.

The Environment Fund and its Challenge Funds provide support for marine ecosystem restoration projects and this will continue through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund that is being developed for 2021/22.

Marine ecosystem restoration initiatives and programmes will require multi-year investment and the level of delivery will be dependent upon the level of budget secured by the Department.