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

Again, just to reassure on that, what it will deliver for us is better water quality, an enhanced ability of our landscape to purify our water, climate mitigation and nature-based solutions to mitigate flooding, such as the flooding we saw across the country this spring, which was particularly acute. I remind Members that Article 11.11 of the NRL states "Member States shall ensure that the preparation of the restoration plan is open, inclusive and effective and that the public [including all relevant stakeholders are] ... given early and effective opportunities to participate in its elaboration". That is exactly what we have committed to doing and we will continue on that trajectory.

As regards the initiative taken by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and I to try to bring member states on board, this is the last-chance saloon for nature restoration in Europe. There is no doubt that it has been divisive. It is being shaped by other politics across Europe but there is no doubt Ireland has shown leadership. We have a climate and nature fund. The Sinn Féin MEP knew, going out to Europe when he voted against it, that all actions would be voluntary and that we had a fund in place. We need to show responsibility here collectively. That is the most significant thing for me. Again, I welcome the contributions from the Deputies who proposed the motion because they have been very positively-framed, unlike others here in the Chamber. There is an opportunity now to work together. We will be embarking, as I said, on a national nature restoration plan. There has been significant progress made. Many thousands of farmers are already participating in schemes and are very happy to do so. They are getting good revenue for doing it and that money is embedding itself in rural communities. I heard the comment made by Deputy Danny Healy-Rae that rural towns and villages will not benefit from this. In fact, they will benefit from it. When that money goes into the local economy, it stays there, and that is what we want to see happening. We want to see farmers and local communities benefitting from it.

I welcome the debate this morning. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, and I look forward to attending the plenary in Luxembourg next week and we hope there is a positive outcome from that.

See this speech in context