Can Ireland’s newest national park protect the sea and the people who depend on it — or is conservation becoming a top-down photo op?

Last year, the Irish government established Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí (Kerry Marine National Park), a vast national park that includes many of West Kerry's most iconic locations—Mount Brandon, the Conor Pass, and a large stretch of ocean off the Kerry coast.

While Ireland has been shamefully slow to protect its marine ecosystems, the creation of this park has raised concerns among fishing communities about the impact on their livelihoods and the lack of consultation in the planning process. So how do we strike a balance between conservation and community—and ensure this new national park is more than just a box-ticking photo op?

Today, Chris is joined by three expert voices:

• Ella McSweeney, award-winning journalist and presenter of RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground. Her reporting for The Irish Times, The Guardian, and others has helped shape national conversations on farming, fishing, and the environment.
• Aodh Ó Domhnaill, CEO of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation and a veteran advocate for Ireland’s fishing industry, originally from Donegal.
• Olive Heffernan, award-winning marine science journalist and author of The High Seas: Ambition, Power and Greed on the Unclaimed Ocean.

This episode was recorded live at Ireland’s Edge in Dingle

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