Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. A lot of what I was going to raise has been raised. It is interesting to hear the level of agreement on the analysis, the diagnosis, and the range of perverse incentives and contradictions within schemes. I share the opinion of many of the contributors. In my experience of communities, and working with communities, they are far ahead of the Government and certainly policy when it comes to these issues. If anything, local government and policy can be an impediment to what communities want to deliver and achieve in terms of the type of environment they want to live in whether that is urban or rural.

Dr. Lysaght, in his opening statement, commented on roadside policy. I am the transport spokesperson for my party. Does he think there is an opportunity in terms of the motorway network for the likes of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and other national and local roads authorities, to improve biodiversity along roadsides?

How would the three witnesses like to see the overwhelming public goodwill towards biodiversity harnessed and mobilised in support of policy? Do they think there are platforms outside of the institutions that we have here such as the Citizens' Assembly, local citizen juries and community groups? How do they think we can mobilise the popular support that we see in schools and Tidy Towns groups right across the board?