Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will home in on recommendation No. 4 that says the responsibility for agencies must be clear, that there must be public accountability for the performance of agencies in respect of enforcement, and there needs to be an independent view of that implementation. Do we have such a process? Does the IFI work to specific and clear priorities it needs to deliver? Is the agency being independently reviewed?

That brings up the wider issue of enforcement. The witnesses have given us data on the number of prosecutions, but it really does not put it in context as to whether those prosecutions are improving the status of the river basins on which they are being enforced. We heard from the assembly that the number of pristine waters decreased from 500 rivers to 32, so plainly something is not working. Is it in the IFI's domain? The IFI has called for extra powers and penalties. We need to get the baseline of what is the enforcement position and whether we are actually enforcing. The citizens' assembly plainly thinks we are not, so I would like to just hear that.

I know the IFI has had difficulties recently with prosecutions. I saw reports that prosecutions had been withdrawn in the courts. Is that a legislative problem or are there other problems? That is the first thing we have to get right.

The assembly clearly thinks the system with dispersed enforcement on freshwater is not working and has called for a single, new agency. The assembly seems to call for two, one for freshwater and one overall. I am not sure if it is one and the same body. Is that where we are at? Do we need to see a single national agency that can say in respect of our river catchments, with some greater authority than the IFI has, what needs to be done by the different agencies that have their finger in the pie?

I was intrigued by the statement of Professor Ó Cinnéide about the NPWS saying enforcement is a job for everyone, and he was asking if that was the best way and seemed to point to some other approach. Is it that single agency approach? What is he calling for?

I entirely agree with what was said about the biodiversity plan. If the targets are not clear and the authority is not focused, a plan will not change anything. Do the witnesses agree the plan should be integrated with the climate plan so that we have oversight from the Taoiseach's office?

That has been a feature of the climate plan that has given a certain edge to this. It seems to me we are not going to tackle this unless we have a bit more circular thinking and pull these elements together into one area. That is enough to be going on with.