Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Lysaght for his interesting comments. By having representatives of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and other like organisations before the committee, we will make better legislation. We cannot be informed about everything, so the experts can add to the legislation.

I was looking at what is known as the "real map" of Ireland and at the size of the ocean on the west of Ireland. Given that 16% of the land area is unique in Europe, we are obviously not selling it enough. To use Dr. Lysaght's words, there is sustainable exploitation. We cannot afford to leave assets sit idly by, but neither we can afford to destroy natural assets. It is easy enough to replace man-made assets, but nature is difficult and it takes billions of years to replace. The most probable exploitation is that of wind at sea. There are maps available showing the high potential wind areas around the coast, and these are coloured in bright red and bright orange. Can Dr. Lysaght develop a map of the "do not touch" areas that have unique biodiversity? I could not see that in his maps, which are linked to the British maps. It is a very difficult ask, because the sea is so huge and there are funding issues here, especially since much of the funding is voluntary.

When talking about national biodiversity, it would be remiss of me not to remember Éamon de Buitléar, amuigh faoin spéir and former Seanadóir, who has died and who we are commemorating tomorrow in the Seanad. When we talk about biodiversity, his name comes to mind from my childhood. It is not easy to map the land mass of Ireland, but it is easier than the sea and today we are talking about the sea base and the marine. How realisable is that?