Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The context of this debate is the sixth mass extinction event, which we are currently living through, with a horrendous, dramatic, marked decline in biodiversity. Some 85% of Ireland's protected habitats are in an unfavourable condition, 46% are in ongoing decline and 43% of protected species are afforded unfavourable status. This biodiversity crisis is part of the rift opened up between humanity and nature by the economic system of capitalism, the organisation of production and agriculture on the basis of profit as opposed to people's needs and our relationship with nature.

The Stout-Ó Cinnéide report is excellent. It reveals the reality of the crisis we face and the neglect of the NPWS by successive Governments.

The report correctly compliments the staff at the heart of the NPWS, describing them as "dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable", but also makes the point that they "have been neglected for decades, in a political system that did not value nature and biodiversity". The report is absolutely damning.

At the time of the issuing of the report, the NPWS had only 354 staff. That number has now risen to about 400 but that is far short of the 670 in the Danish Nature Agency, for example. Denmark has a similar population but a protected area one sixth the size of ours. It has 2,000 sq. km by comparison with Ireland's 12,000 sq. km. In other words, Denmark is ten times more staff per square kilometre of protected area than Ireland. Going on the estimates in the report, it would cost less than €17 million to bring the staffing level up to the Danish level. This is a fraction of the amount given to the horse and greyhound industries every single year. That the strategic plan does not contemplate even the minimal step on staffing that I propose is very revealing of the State's priorities for nature and animal welfare, even with the Green Party in government.

Another point that jumps out from the report is that 90% of the sites designated for nature production are privately owned and therefore not managed by the NPWS or protected by its rangers. The report states, "Ireland does not have a comprehensive policy or system for management planning and delivery of conservation measures for most of its Natura 2000 sites." That is really shocking. It effectively means nature protection has been privatised to landowners. This has been an unmitigated disaster. Of course, many small farmers pay correct attention to biodiversity and should be paid for this by the State because it is done on behalf of all of society.

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