Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I reflect on all of the contributions from Deputies. It is a marked departure in this Dáil that we have had such a focus on biodiversity in the past number of years. It speaks volumes about how all Deputies across the House care for this. That is reflected in the quality of amendments brought forward. I wish to give assurance that what we are trying to achieve is a strengthening of the Bill and a reflection of the new national biodiversity action plan. Deputy Matthews is right. We will embark on a two-year process of developing a nature restoration plan, which will have significant implications within local authorities and right across the country, in particular for urban development but for other areas too. I cannot stress enough the importance of our local authority diversity plans. We now have a network of biodiversity officers to deliver on the NBAP at local level through their local biodiversity plans. The fund is important too. All of these interrelated actions have been important but they mean nothing if we do not have a strong planning Bill to underpin that. That is why I appreciate the amendments brought forward by Deputies today. I give assurances that we will come back to say how we propose to address them. The NBAP has just been adopted.

A review was undertaken of the National Parks and Wildlife Service and there is a recommendation to look at the responsibilities for nature right across Government. That is a piece of work we still have to do but it is an important piece of work. We must to give credence to that too.