Mr. Ian Lumley:

If Deputy Fitzmaurice looks at the coalition document he will see that it is a vision for rural Ireland, an Ireland that embraces its land and the quality of its environment and plays its part in the challenge ahead globally in climate and reversing the loss of nature. There is an enormous opportunity now with the European green deal and the redirection of the CAP subsidy regime which, as the European Court of Auditors so clearly indicated last year, has failed to reverse the loss of nature not just in Ireland but across Europe. Advancing schemes for lower impact grazing that would apply to some of those drained peatland areas in the midlands the Deputy referred to, will meet organic standards and advance the 25% organic target for 2030 which is a rising consumer demand. I invite the Deputy to look at the positive recommendations set out in the document. Perhaps the Chair could consider that at a future date the committee might be interested in engaging in more detail with the coalition group. An Taisce was only one of 70 members involved in the production of this document. The committee should look at some of the positive recommendations it is advancing for the future of rural Ireland to sustain employment and communities.

When An Taisce makes a submission in the planning arena, which is a legal entitlement of any citizen and is mandated not just under the European consultation process but under the UN Aarhus Convention, it is always phrased in a positive way. It is aimed at achieving a better outcome in more sustainable, walkable communities that are less car dependent, where we can produce more mixed agriculture and food production and can advance ecotourism, which brings better rural employment and enhances the nature and cultural heritage of the area. All of our submissions are informed, not by a negative, but by a positive of advancing the better Ireland that we all want to see.

Sometimes that means going against an individual interest. If somebody is operating an illegal quarry and wants to circumvent the law by getting a retention application in by a back door, then that will end up in court. That is where we run into conflict issues, which is unavoidable because of the nature of the planning system. When one looks at our submissions and inputs into national policy documents and county development plans, such as the Deputy's own area of Longford-Roscommon, it will be found that while these do not get publicity we are always advancing at local level, to the council, the cause of rural Ireland as much as urban Ireland, informed by our local rural members and our experience of applying best practice based on what is going on in other countries.

Urban Ireland has problems as great as rural Ireland in terms of greenhouse gases, the level of car dependence and air pollution from traffic emissions. We have massive challenges and transformational change is needed in urban Ireland as much as rural Ireland. That was very much communicated by European Commission vice president, Frans Timmermans, in his interview today, in which he said that all of us need to think about the next generation and people across the world in the change that is needed in our energy, transport and food systems and in reconnecting with nature.