Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of the Deputies' concerns about the regulations. I did not navigate the Heritage Bill 2018 through various committees and the Dáil and all other Stages just to bring forward regulations that would be discretionary and not use them, if it was possible to do so. There was a two-year pilot scheme. Times were different from when we passed the Heritage Bill 2018 and I could see if we could make the regulations. I felt strongly that I was not in a position to do so. I will outline the main reasons I could not make them. To be clear, they will not be in force next year either because it is a two-year pilot scheme. I state that for the Deputy now, rather than mislead him and have him come back to me, or whoever will be in this position, next year.

The first reason was the national biodiversity conference which I hosted, in conjunction with the Irish Forum on Natural Capital, in February this year. It served to highlight threats to biodiversity. The second reason was the seeds for nature initiative which arose from the national biodiversity conference. It comprised a suite of commitments to nature and biodiversity which went beyond the respective organisations' work programmes to support, upscale and fast-track implementation of the national biodiversity action plan.

As we all know, we are living in a very different climate, if I can be excused for using the pun, from what we were living in. I refer to what has come to our attention regarding the climate.

Also of great significance in my decision-making was the summary of the report on the assessment of the intergovernmental panel on biodiversity and ecosystems by the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. It published its global assessment of the state of the world's biodiversity and ecosystems in March this year. It was a stark assessment of the situation. The report showed that, globally, nature was suffering an unprecedented rate of decline and that the rate of species' extinction was accelerating, as was the extinction of ecosystems. It indicated, however, that it was not too late to make a difference. There is a need to start without delay and with a commitment at local and global levels. The report also contained a reference to hedgerows. That was damning information that came to hand and I did not have it when the regulations were made.

I also considered Ireland's sixth national report to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The report was published in May and showed our rate of progress in achieving our targets. In summary, partially effective progress was reported in achieving many of the national global targets but at an insufficient rate. Some of the findings made in the report specifically deatl with hedgerows. It stated the decline in "bees, butterflies and other insects has largely resulted from the effect of monoculture and the drive to ever-higher levels of productivity, characterised also by a loss or neglect of hedgerows, farmland edges and scrub". It went on to state "biodiversity in this wider landscape has been impacted in recent decades by trends to land use intensification and a loss of mixed land uses. This has led to the deliberate removal of habitats, for example, hedgerows and wetlands". It also criticised some agricultural policy which did not support diverse hedgerows.

The climate action plan 2019 was also something I took into account. As the Deputy is aware, it was published in June and included wide-ranging measures. I will not read the entire reference to hedgerows, but there is mention of the total area of hedgerows and non-forest woodland patches. It also refers to improving hedgerow management and encouraging the planting of new hedgerows.

I would like both Deputies to note that the decisions I made were welcomed by the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland, FCI. It was documented on theagriland.iewebsite which carried a piece stating it was very much welcomed-----