Mr. Jack O'Sullivan:

I agree 100% with Deputy Clarke. There is scope for widening the legislation. Another problem to which I have not referred is that we are under scrutiny by the European Commission, and rightly so, and we do not have the greatest record among member states. There are others worse than us and I have to admit this. With regard to proper management of special areas of protection for wildlife and special areas of conservation we could be doing better. If the committee were to bring before it the National Parks and Wildlife Service it might be very good. For my part I have much sympathy for people working in the service. This branch of our State service has been kicked from one Department to another since the 1960s and 1970s. It has never really been given the degree of support it needs. It is better than it was. I remember the 1970s and 1980s when it did not know where it was. It is much better now. It could still do with a lot of strengthening. I remember visiting a national park in Lithuania in 1995 when I worked for the Lithuanian Government. I asked how many people worked in that national park and I nearly took a step backwards when the director told me there were approximately 200 staff. I said that was more than we had in the whole of Ireland in the National Parks and Wildlife Service. We could be doing better at government level. I know there is a shortage of money but it is very important for us at this time to take care of our national parks from the point of view of biodiversity and climate. I hope this answers Deputy Clarke. If I have gone on too long I beg forgiveness.