Mr. Gerard Murphy:

Yes. We take samples as part of our environmental management systems, particularly in sensitive areas where we are required to do so to assess different attributes on a before-and-after basis to monitor the overall impact of our operations. There are also long-term studies on acidification and other areas. Acidification is not easy to monitor and must be looked at over a long period of time. UCD and UCC have commissioned a number of studies to monitor acidification, but we monitor streams, particularly sensitive ones, for any environmental damage.

Deputy Boyd Barrett made a number of points on flooding. I agree with him that forests have a very important function which is often overlooked. There is a need to consider more proactively and progressively the ways we can use trees to mitigate flooding such as we have seen in the last number of months. There is work to be done in the area of agro-forestry to come up with more innovative ways of using agriculture and forestry. In other countries, agro-forestry systems have been introduced to benefit livestock and improve and enhance soils. It is a matter of providing the necessary incentives.

The issue to which I come back is what more we can do in these areas. It is all about balancing the issues. I mentioned earlier the greater need to recognise public goods. We have started to be much more proactive about valuing public goods, including biodiversity, landscape protection and cultural heritage. Our intention is to gain more recognition for those values, and we have done some studies with the Heritage Council in that regard. When one obtains recognition of the economic value of these elements, it helps to drive more work. It is about the balance struck, economic recognition and feedback to do more work.