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

There is a growing movement around the world, including on this island, to defend the rights of nature. Increasingly, people understand that without the protection of the rights of nature, there cannot be a human right to a healthy environment. Human rights and the rights of nature go hand in hand. On Thursday, campaigners for the rights of nature will gather at 11 a.m. outside the Dáil ahead of the debate we will have in the afternoon on the Oireachtas environment committee's report on the work of the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. Our committee, in line with the citizens' assembly, recommended that a referendum be held on inserting the rights of nature and the right to a healthy environment into the Constitution and that an expert group be established during the lifetime of the Government to begin preparing the referendum questions. Does the Taoiseach support the holding of such a referendum? Have there been any moves to establish such an expert group? If not, will he ensure there is movement on it?

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