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

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is coming under the Department's remit. According to Ms Quinn's opening statement, a key part of the strategy will be about the climate action plan. When we look at the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis, the agency at the forefront, in terms of biodiversity, is the National Parks and Wildlife Service. From my experience, it is hugely committed and has capable staff with great expertise and passion in the area but it is heavily under-resourced. With regard to what we need to do in terms of biodiversity, it is absolutely critical that the National Parks and Wildlife Service is much better resourced. Some of the NGO commentators have the view it should have something in the region of between four to eight times the amount of funding and resources it has. When we look at the work done, for example, by the Environmental Protection Agency, we see that today it has been able to call out Irish Water on wastewater discharges. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is not able to do this type of work. It does not have this type of public education role to be able to hold people to account and be capable of stronger enforcement. Will part of the strategy be to look at how to strengthen the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Service with regard to biodiversity?