Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do indeed know this area well. I recently called out to Tycor AFC, which is located just outside Waterford city. It is a big sporting complex, a lot of which is just green grass and playing pitches. The club is looking for a little help and support in terms of what can be done to make the place a little more wildlife friendly, apart from for the rabbits which keep digging up the playing surface, but that is a different matter.

I was trying to say to get in contact with the council, which has an arborist and can advise on tree-planting, and that there might be a pot of money to chase. There were bits and scraps. It was not together in one place. When you have a club and are being pulled in seven different directions to get the jerseys washed and do the divil and all, it can be difficult to track down those small pots of money. This is a brilliant initiative. It brings it all into one place and puts it in front of the clubs and local sports partnerships. Combining the outdoor recreation element with the connection with nature will make a big difference.

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