Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

My concern is that we have had a lot of undertakings since we started this Bill - every time we raise an issue there are undertakings - but we are not actually getting concrete proposals. We are not being told our amendments are wrong, only that the Government wants to look at this more. My concern is that all this could be lost within the commitments on biodiversity and that we may have other measures on biodiversity but the specific things we are looking for here, such as the listing of special areas of amenity, will be lost in that process. At least a commitment on special areas of amenity, and that they be dealt with under these obligations to prepare strategies for conservation of natural heritage, would be a specific commitment. However, we already have a general commitment around biodiversity and we do not know that this will not be lost in it.