Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On that note, I urge the NPWS to keep up the work it is doing. Anybody who spends a day in nature reaps the reward for a long time. You can spend a day in the city or spend a night out.

There is a reward when you spend a day out in countryside or out in nature with your family or children, and it is often free. When you damage it and it is gone, you do not realise it until it is gone. I could quote the lyrics from a song, which most people do at this point, but they are true - "Once it is gone, it is gone".

I thank the witnesses for the work they have been doing. I hope this type of support and investment into the National Parks and Wildlife Service continues. As we said, it cannot be a five-year window. It needs to be the next five, ten and 20 years, and that is a challenge. We talk about climate as being the challenge of the decade but biodiversity and nature loss is a challenge that does not get the spotlight or the same degree of recognition as climate change, yet it may cause much more harm and damage much quicker than climate change.

I thank the witnesses for their attendance, and I thank all the National Parks and Wildlife Service staff on the ground as well. As I said, it is great to see NPWS staff out there. Spotting a ranger used to be like trying to spot a corncrake but you have more chances of spotting one now. Corncrakes are coming back too.