Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too thank the Minister of State. We are in the middle of National Heritage Week. I wish to commend the work of Kildare County Council's heritage officer, Ms Bridget Loughlin, and her colleagues, who have organised some great events not just this week but throughout the year. Ms Loughlin is celebrating 20 years in the job this year. Her dedication and enthusiasm is as apparent now as it was from day one.

I welcome the publication of the Strategic Action Plan for the Renewal of the NPWS. Investment in the service is long overdue. The service was established in 2003 with the demise of Dúchas. It suffered greatly during the austerity years and only recently returned to pre-recession budget allocation. As part of the new strategic action plan, there will be a full restructuring of the NPWS as an executive agency, along with the recruitment of 60 key staff to support biodiversity. That is very welcome. However, we need to see similar investment in our local authority staff, who are struggling to provide basic services.

They are at the coalface of heritage protection and are best placed to notice the need for action as they work on the ground. Objectives to be completed over the next two and a half years include 15 strategic actions that I hope will ensure that the National Parks and Wildlife Service is resourced and equipped and has a robust organisational structure. The new focus of this service, its key strategic actions, new resources and additional staff should better equip the organisation’s capacity to meet core objectives and to protect Ireland’s natural heritage.

We heard this week from the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss session that Ireland risks turning into a ghost land for nature if abuse of land, habitats and species continues. The assembly's conclusions will be presented in a report with recommendations to the Government as to what actions should be taken to protect what is left of the country’s natural habitat. Experts outlining the work of the assembly told the group that nature had already been pushed into a corner in Ireland. Almost 65% of our land is agricultural land and approximately 10% of it is plantation forestry. Approximately 75% of the Irish landscape, therefore, is relatively intensely managed and most of our biodiversity is in the other 25%.

The swift, that is, the migrant bird that used to be the sound of summer all over Ireland, has lost 40% of its population in just 15 years, which is very frightening. Some species are able to adapt, like the sand martins I saw nesting on a raised bog bank at Umeras in south Kildare, with which the Minister of State is familiar. Others like the curlew, which I heard for the first time in many years recently while canvassing in Mallusk, County Antrim, has not fared so well.

We need to support our farmers in the conservation work that they do and to find the right balance between food production and habitat protection. Our farmers get little thanks for the work they do. We need to listen to them about how best they can be supported. We need a proper plan in place to address invasive species such as rhododendron and Japanese knotweed. We also need to review the list to see if species like cherry laurel need to be added to this and probably to have its sale controlled. We also need proper regulation and checks to ensure that these species are not available for open sale.

Beekeeping is becoming an increasingly popular hobby which is great to see but we must control the importation of bees from abroad which threaten our native species.

I cannot allow this debate to pass without mentioning the Curragh of Kildare. It needs to be made a national park and rescued from the indifference of the Department of Defence which presided over the disgraceful dumping of God knows what during the filling of a hollow next to Donnelly’s Hollow. The Minister of State is aware that I spoken about this in the past. It has not gone away and neither have I. This issue needs to be addressed. The toleration also of illegal encampments and the neglectful approach that the Department brings to this issue may not be done on purpose but it also needs to be addressed. The Curragh is the heart of Kildare and it needs to be protected. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

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