Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----closure of power stations in the midlands and other such matters. What is the Minister's view on that? The joint committee report recommendation was that we would have a specific strategy for those regions whereas the Minister is proposing to pass the topic over to the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, which can only give advice, rather than establishing a multi-stakeholder body that would be empowered to make decisions and access State resources. What is the Minister’s view on the Commission's response to his report?

This is my final question. Our committee's report was strong in its call for nature-based solutions for climate action, which would help in our effort to address the climate and biodiversity emergency declared by the Dáil on 9 May. Specifically, our report recommended the development of a national hedgerow conversation strategy to ensure the conservation of these important features in the Irish landscape, which are extremely valuable to birds, pollinators and mammals. There is no coherent approach to protecting hedgerows in Ireland. There has been inappropriate management, including cutting during a period when it was illegal to do so. The destructive removal of hedgerows is the number one complaint BirdWatch Ireland receives annually from members of the public. There is no mention of the recommendation to develop a national hedgerow conservation strategy in the climate plan 2019. Why not and can it be inserted at this stage?