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

-----that this Government has made no progress on biodiversity. We have done much more than many Governments in previous years. Deputy Conway-Walsh mentioned Mayo, which probably has more LIFE projects interacting with one other, such as LIFE on Machair, Corncrake LIFE and Wild Atlantic Nature, than any other county. Again, farmers and landowners are participating very enthusiastically in those schemes. I will take back the point made by Deputy Ó Murchú about flooding in the Cooley Peninsula.

I thank Deputy Bacik for the comments she made, specifically the very generous ones she made about my colleague Ciarán Cuffe, who unfortunately lost his seat in the European Parliament last night. He has shown great leadership on the nature restoration law. I hope and know Deputy Ó Ríordáin will take up that mantle.

We are living through a mass extinction. The skies are falling silent around us. This nature restoration law is essential. The Government has committed to developing a nature restoration plan regardless of the outcome of the decision. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, and I will be travelling to Luxembourg next week but, regardless of the outcome of that, Ireland is committed to developing a nature restoration plan.

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