Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 33:

In page 23, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:"(f) natural environment;".

The categories mentioned for the disbursement of funds are sport and recreation, national culture and heritage, including the Irish language, the arts, health of the community, youth welfare and amenities and "such other objectives as the Government may determine from time to time". That is a little vague. Both Deputy McDonald and I propose the inclusion of the natural environment given its importance. The Irish Environmental Network and the Irish Wildlife Trust do important work and they have a wide range of programmes and activities. The thrust of what they do relates to the maintenance of healthy water and soils and clear air. If we cannot do that, the current economic recession will be nothing compared to what we will face in a recession affecting the natural environment unless we look after it. I am conscious of this because I have spent most of the past two days at a conference in Dublin Castle on hunger, nutrition and climate change where I listened to the voices of communities all over the world and the challenges facing the environment and the way of life of fishermen, farmers, pastoralists and so on. I acknowledge we are not quite in that position but we must be proactive and take our responsibility seriously. There could be an opportunity in this section to include the natural environment. I do not understand how that would open a floodgate to anything else.

The organisations to which I refer do a great deal of work and a significant element of the work is voluntary. If they were to pay for the more than 6 million hours in voluntary work at the national minimum wage, it would amount to €55 million. I am passionate about our natural environment and we should protect it as best we can and give as much support and resources to these organisations as possible. They are precluded the way the section is worded. If the words "natural environment" were inserted, these organisations would have an opportunity to access funding. This is the least resourced sector and I hope the Minister can consider this. The environment is good for our physical, mental and emotional health and that is why I tabled the amendment.

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