Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply and I appreciate that he gave an overview of the work of the NPWS. I am glad he referred to the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford. The centre plays a key role in data collection but needs to be financed on a long-term basis and not by means of the ad hoc, year-to-year funding model that obtains at present. It has incredible expertise. It is usually involved in citizen science and is very good at getting people involved. For example, the national butterfly and bumblebee survey conducted recently was a huge success. Centres such as this need long-term investment and not to be funded on an ad hocbasis.

The Minister of State mentioned the NGOs. These include BirdWatch Ireland, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and the Irish Wildlife Trust. The data they collect on a voluntary basis is absolutely fantastic but they are stretching themselves very thinly. Will the Minister of State elaborate on the supports the National Biodiversity Data Centre and the NGOs may be able to avail of? The work of both is vital in the context of biodiversity data collection?

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