Mr. Vincent Roddy:

I thank Deputy Smith for her questions. As regards Coillte and Gresham House, our position is quite clear. We believe that in the new forestry programme, the forestry support scheme and grant aid scheme for afforestation should only be given to those who have actively farmed the land for five years. That would take out Gresham House. What happened with Gresham House should not have happened but it is a symptom of what had been happening and I do not believe we need to see that going forward. I hope that answers the question.

As regards the EPA report on water quality, it is a big concern. There is no doubt about that. I hear what members of the IFA have said about the changes to the nitrates derogation, which has been reduced. We hope that will have an impact on water quality. Water quality affects everyone and we need to see that improvement. If that does not work, we are going to have to go back and look at that again.

Mr. Condon is going to come in on the biodiversity, if that is all right, but I would just make one comment. We talk a lot about the science. My understanding from the Commission as regards nature restoration and rewetting is this: the text defines rewetting as "a deliberate action that aims to bring the water table of a drained peatland back to that of the peat-forming peatland; the peatland is rewetted when the mean annual water table is near or at the soil surface." That is how the EU sees that. If we are seeing it differently here. I hear what people are saying. Maybe if we were to go within a foot of the surface, some level of agricultural activity could continue but that is going to be difficult to understand. In recital 55 and the nature restoration regulation, it has clearly outlined three elements, namely, sphagnum moss, water buffalo, cranberry cultivation and blueberry cultivation. Interestingly, I understand blueberry cultivation involves mounding so I do not know how that is going to help in sequestering carbon. Maybe it can be done otherwise as well. That is what the Commission has outlined in recital 55. That would be alien to all Irish farmers. I might let Mr. Condon comment on the biodiversity.