The Programme for Government commits “to prioritising the development of the marine.” This paper identifies the three global economic developments that we believe will most affect the performance of Ireland’s ocean economy industries in the near- and medium-term: (1) the COVID-19-related recession, (2) Brexit, and (3) the transition to a low-carbon economy. Our objective is to provide background and contextual information for marine policymakers in strategic planning for the sector over the next decade. In particular, we aim to inform the policy debate about how best Government can meet the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop “a new integrated marine sustainable development plan, as a successor to Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, focusing on all aspects of the marine, with a greater focus on sustainability and stakeholder engagement.”