Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

What the Minister is doing is loosening the regulations. Last Monday, we saw what happened when there was no proper enforcement of environmental laws, with people ignoring the laws that restrict illegal dumping. I have a similar fear that, when the Minister gives the go-ahead for people to start cutting hedges in August and burning uplands, we will see a further degradation of the key environments that we need to protect to maintain birdlife and all other associated life, for example, butterflies, bees, etc. The Minister is engaging in a destruction of the environment, which will lead inexorably to a loss of species and a narrowing of biodiversity. I am sickened. The Government was lined up yesterday to talk about how we would be great on the environment and climate but there is a connection between being good on the climate and protecting habitats, restoring diversity, marshlands and uplands and allowing nature to flourish. The Government cannot be seen as being serious on one if, on the other, it is telling people to start the flails going in August and to burn the hills in March. Everyone knows that having no enforcement of environmental rules is a recipe for disaster but the Minister is lighting the flame-thrower and bringing the hedge cutters. She will be responsible for that.

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