Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The staffing numbers have also increased. On that recent visit, I was quite impressed to see younger staff there as well. It was an ageing staff and trying to find a ranger was like trying to find a corncrake - they were rare on the ground. That is quite impressive to see.

We have been talking in billions but there is a particular spend in local government that I would like to explore with the Minister. In the planning Bill, we made some changes to how a tree preservation order can be done. It can now be done by resolution whereas it was previously an executive function. I expect it to generate a desire and requests for tree preservation orders.

One of the things I was told at development plan stage was there was not the funding to do it. I wonder if the Minister and the Ministers of State could look to see if there is any opportunity, between heritage and local government, for a fund to which local authorities could apply to carry out tree preservation orders. The level of protection for trees in urban areas is minimal. This would absolutely help.