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

When I visited the wind farm project I spoke about that was being developed by Bord na Móna, and it is now complete and operating. I also took the opportunity to visit an example of where Bord na Móna is engaged in the rehabilitation of bogs. I saw the skills the company had in extracting peat were the same skills needed in blocking drains and managing the water table. The Deputy is absolutely correct that it is possible to get an incredible return of nature, including birdlife, insect life and flora and fauna of every variety. There is a huge benefit to be found here. It is not just in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but also in the restoration for biodiversity in the rehabilitation of our boglands. I do, therefore, support this endeavour. I do not have the details of the particular park the Deputy referred to, but the midlands cannot just be a repository for large-scale new energy industrial infrastructure. It must be the home of the restoration of nature at scale, particularly in our bogland habitats. I very much support this concept in general.

See this speech in context