Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Lynn for her presentation. I apologise for arriving late to the meeting. I echo what others have said, and welcome the NPWS review having been done and recommended increased funding and a strengthened role for that agency concerning wildlife crime. I would be interested to hear, however, whether Dr. Lynn thinks that the service will have the ability to undertake those types of investigations and have the required authority in this regard when it comes to wildlife crime, particularly if that means investigating another organisation in the State. An example would be what we have seen happen with Emo Court, where the OPW disturbed a bat roost without the necessary derogation licence and then got a retrospective licence from the NPWS. Therefore, given what we have seen recently in that case, I am concerned about whether the NPWS believes that it will be able to take on other arms of the State, if those organisations are in breach of the habitats directive and the Wildlife Acts.