Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I agree with Deputy Connolly that it would be great to have a full Chamber for these debates or at least more participation, but I welcome the contributions made by all.

The most significant topic raised was the nature restoration regulation. I know we will have a debate next week, but it pertains to agriculture. It is far wider legislation than just agriculture. It relates to our coastal ecosystems, our rivers and our urban areas, and our protected annex 1 habitats. It covers a much broader sphere. Agriculture and the piece that people are getting exercised over is an important component of it. The amount of misinformation I have heard in recent weeks is shocking - particularly from politicians which I find very disappointing.

Deputy Nolan raised the issue of food security. All we need to do is look at Emilia-Romagna under water this week. The richest food-growing region in northern Italy has been completely devastated and destroyed because of climate change. We need to be responsible about this.

There is a change coming; the nature restoration regulation is happening. The MEPs who voted against it will be on the wrong side of history. They have also locked themselves out of improving it for Ireland when they had an opportunity to improve it. I urge all political parties to engage in a positive way. If it collapses in Europe, the Irish Government should embark on its own nature-restoration plan. We are already doing considerable work around the country, including life projects and the blanket bog-restoration project which are leading on restoration. We should continue to do that. I agree with the comments that have been made. It is not them or us. It is not farmers versus NGOs. We should all be in this together. I wholeheartedly support the comments that have been made on that.

Deputy Andrews raised the invasive and problematic species such as deer and rhododendron. We are working on finalising an invasive species management plan. We have been working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on some proposals on deer management.

Regarding the Dublin Bay biosphere, which was also raised by Deputy Bacik, a huge amount of work is ongoing and it is an improving situation. I attended the launch of the Acclimatise project, and INTERREG programme between Ireland and Wales which is looking at the water quality in Dublin Bay. The deep bay is actually in very good condition. Interestingly, dog faeces is probably the most significant issue relating to pollution in the bay. There is a huge responsibility on us all as well as on Irish Water to ensure the bay is there for recreational use. Our bathing water quality, as we have seen in the recent report, is generally good.

I also note the points made by Deputy Bruton and the complexity to resolve issues. Many of these issues will be resolved with collective action and nature responds positively. I appreciate that, as he said, people feel overwhelmed. It is not “either or” as Deputies Boyd Barrett and Paul Murphy mentioned regarding corporate greed. Corporations have a very important role to play here and they are playing an important role. We are partnering with Intel on a planned restoration projects in the Wicklow Mountains. Corporations want to play a part. If we are serious in discussions about developing a fund for nature, it should involve the corporate sector. It should involve private finance.

Private support for that would go a long way towards addressing the fears that farmers genuinely have relating to the lack of information about that. We want to pay farmers to do the right thing. It is critical that they have long-term viability and certainty that their payments will be in place for doing the right thing for nature. Farming in this country will not thrive if nature does not. It is critical to be mindful of that for next week's debate.

Deputy Whitmore referred to the open season order and the birds of conservation concern. We are addressing that and I am in the process of reviewing it. I have met the gun clubs and the National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC. They also do valuable conservation work on our behalf.

I will not have time to get to all of the issues raised. I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. It has been a good debate and it is not taking place in a vacuum. It is important that these issues are read into the record of the House showing that we are having a very lengthy debate on nature in Ireland.

There has been mention of No-mow May. The all-Ireland pollinator plan is fantastic, but on its own it will not cut it. We need to look at the issues that have been raised by other Deputies about what we consume making the connection with our economic system, what we waste and the loss of space for nature because of the exploitation of natural resources. President Higgins was criticised by a columnist for having the gall to raise questions about our economic growth system and the economic model we have. He was right to raise it. It is a conversation we should have in this Chamber around ecological economics and ecosystems services, and not seeing nature and the destruction of nature as an externality.

As I said, nature responds positively and sometimes very quickly to good interventions in terms of restoring habitats. I have seen that throughout the country in recent years. I take this opportunity to thank all the champions for nature, our volunteers, our land owners, our farmers, Killarney meitheal, the group in Maharees, the NGOs, our fishers and our activists. Some amazing people are doing amazing work for nature. I want to make particular mention of the staff in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the general operatives, the park rangers, our scientific staff and right up to our director. We have an amazing team of people who are working tirelessly day and night to help to save nature.

All of us involved in trying to restore and save nature, we are all waiting, our lapwings nesting in electrified closures are waiting. Our little terns nesting in rocky beaches in Kilcoole are waiting. They are under 24-hour guard by BirdWatch volunteers. Our captive-bred natterjack toads, our corncrakes, our curlews and their keepers in Fota Wildlife Park are waiting. The 35 members and nine young advisers of the Children's and Young People's Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss are waiting. We are all waiting for those of us here to show leadership, to show courage and to show that we can work together to restore nature, to open the cages, to lift this surveillance and release the iconic Irish species into connected species-rich diverse habitats where they can once again thrive alongside productive farms with clean rivers, teaming oceans and climate-proofed cities and towns. That is all critically important.

I will leave the last word to the children and young people of the assembly. This is the letter they wrote at the start of this report:

It is so important that children and young people in Ireland can have their say on biodiversity loss because we are the ones who are going to have to live with whatever happens. Whatever changes are made, we are the ones who will feel the impacts and live with the results, whether they are good or bad.

The Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss has been a special journey for all of us. Although everyone came from different backgrounds and some did not know much about biodiversity at the beginning, we were of there because we wanted to make a difference. Many of us felt we were participating in a unique, democratic moment for nature.

Making friends with each other at the Assembly helped us to work together, and to listen to each other. There was a warm atmosphere of closeness and respect throughout the whole process so that everyone felt heard. The empathy sparked from these feelings was the driving force behind the calls to action that were made,

Many adults don't think children are capable of achieving something like this, but this proves that we can do anything and we have amazing ideas to share. Children and young people should be involved a future citizens’ assemblies because we are part of society and everyone deserves to have a say. Our voices need to be heard, especially about issues that are as important as this. We think differently to adults. Our thoughts and ideas should be included if adults want to use all chances to solve the biodiversity crisis. We need to, and want to, be part of the solutions to these problems.

So, what happens now? We want the Assembly’s recommendations to be taken on board and taken seriously so it has immediate and long-term impacts for the issue of biodiversity loss in Ireland. This includes the government implementing the Assembly's ideas into policy

We want the Assembly to be remembered, and for there to be more opportunities for children and young people to share our views and ideas. This is a historic moment for Ireland’s climate and nature action and shouldn't just be forgotten.

When reading this report, we want you to feel everything that we... felt during the process. But instead of feeling despair about the situation, we want you to feel inspired and determined to be part of the solutions, and full of hope because we can all make a difference.

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