Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I will not make a grand speech about something I have always been involved in, but biodiversity was something I always just knew about. On the farm where my mam grew up in north Roscommon or the farm my uncle had, there were meadows and bees but I never thought too much about biodiversity. I grew up in a housing estate in Leixlip. We were out and about and parks were just for playing football. When I became a councillor, it started hitting home. As I speak, I am thinking of Vanessa Liston, who was a councillor with me in the Celbridge-Leixlip area. She brought forward ideas, made biodiversity important and pitched it for all the council motions and I would sit there and listen. I recall Íde Cussen, a councillor in the Celbridge municipal district. She was also a colleague of Deputy Cronin. She brought up the issue of glyphosate and Roundup being used by the council. It was taken out of use because of one person's ambition. It was removed from use by Kildare County Council. I think of people like them during discussions like this. Some might ask what the point is or what impact politicians can have on biodiversity. When you see individuals such as that making those kinds of key impacts, they might seem small but they can change behaviours.

Someone like me is talking about it a number of years later in Leinster House and continuing on that same message. When I first heard it, I would not have necessarily known about it. At the same time, it is people like Íde Cussen who have made the difference.

In respect of local groups, such as Tidy Towns, I had the good fortune to go to the Leixlip Tidy Towns annual general meeting last night. It was all about biodiversity. For many of us in Ireland, 20 or 30 years ago, Tidy Towns groups were about litter picking and flower boxes and ensuring the boxes were watered. It is now about sustainability and biodiversity and ensuring we plant and grow plants to make the place look better. It is about people like them. We can actually make an impact through the consistent education and messaging we get during weeks like this.

For biodiversity week, Kildare County Council held events throughout the county. I am sure it was the same in the other council areas. Deputy Byrne referenced every single place in Wexford and I am sure other people did likewise for their areas. We want to encourage visits to places like Donadea or the Curragh, which are outside my area. That is the importance of biodiversity week.

My friend, Benny McDonagh, ran in the local elections for the Green Party. He has since passed away. He was a great friend who passed away a couple of months ago. I am thinking of him and his family today. He was someone who encouraged me so much to raise this matter. Even at his funeral, he had little Irish seedballs for everyone to plant. That is something I took from him. In a small way, that will be a legacy he leaves. I know his daughter, Amber, is doing her leaving certificate. I am thinking about that too. Everyone has their own journey and can make their own impact if they keep discussing it and raising it.

I welcome this opportunity to speak with the Minister of State because he has the opportunity at the top table to raise these issues and impress them upon his colleagues. I will also be impressing them on my own colleagues, such as the Minister, Deputy Burke, in the context of the economic sector. We can make an important impact on biodiversity by helping farmers and encouraging natural farming. Farmers could potentially have their own businesses, which would encourage tourism and our economy. All these things can be linked.

It might be asked what the point of biodiversity is. People might say the best way is what gets the most out of the land and biodiversity will mean farmers having to cut this and that. We have to think about the broader piece, however. That is something that has changed. The conversation has changed in Ireland in recent years. Since I first became a councillor in 2009, it has continued to change. My own personal journey has been impacted by certain individuals. I have learned a lot and I am delighted to be able to speak on this matter tonight as a TD. I smile across at my colleague who was there on part of that journey as well. She remembers many of those conversations.

During Covid-19 and everything else, people got their chance to go to different places. People referenced specific places. In my area, it was St. Catherine’s Park in Castletown House. Those are the sorts of locations we loved and dealt with, in which we got to experience the biodiversity of our own areas. Everyone has their own places, be they the greenways or whatever it might be. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter tonight. I know the Minister of State will continue to do a great job considering his own personal interest in this area.

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