Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a privilege to address the House today to mark National Biodiversity Week, my first since being appointed Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity. This week continues to grow in reach and impact, with over 350 events happening nationwide. It is a time not just to celebrate Ireland's rich natural heritage, but also to reflect, take stock and recommit to the urgent task of protecting biodiversity. Since taking up this position, I have been deeply moved by the people I have met across Ireland - farmers, conservationists, local leaders, volunteers and of course National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, staff - who are dedicating themselves to the care of our natural environment. Their passion, knowledge and sense of responsibility are both humbling and inspiring.

In 2019, this House declared a climate and biodiversity emergency. The 2020 programme for Government responded with the most ambitious nature commitments ever made by an Irish Government. Now, as in the 2025 programme, we are accelerating our efforts to meet the scale of the challenge. Since 2020, Ireland has made substantial and measurable progress in biodiversity protection, driven in large part by the renewed capacity and leadership of the NPWS. A major step forward came with the publication of Ireland’s fourth national biodiversity action plan, NBAP, in January 2024. This plan represents a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to the governance and conservation of biodiversity. For the first time in the history of the State, the NBAP is underpinned by law, following the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023, which mandates both the legal requirement to have an NBAP and to report on its implementation and progress.

Supporting the NPWS is key to supporting biodiversity in Ireland. Since 2020, core funding has increased from €28.7 million to €78 million in 2025; staffing has grown from 349 to 577; and the strategic action plan for renewal, published in 2022, has been delivered. The NPWS now manages eight national parks, including two new additions since 2020, as well as a large network of nature reserves. By making strategic land acquisitions, safeguarding corncrake habitats and expanding Connemara National Park, we are protecting endangered species while promoting sustainable tourism. The NPWS conservation measures programme is developing and implementing conservation measures on special areas of conservation, SACs, and special protection areas in the Natura 2000 network in Ireland, and addressing threats and pressures to the qualifying interest habitats and species in these sites, with conservation measures implemented at over 90 Natura 2000 sites in 2024. The NPWS farm plan scheme continues to grow and to engage with farmers and landowners to support nature on the land, through encouragement, advice and financial supports, with a goal of over 500 farm plans in progress by the end of 2025. The NPWS is also continuing to support community initiatives through the peatlands and Natura community engagement scheme. In 2025, funding of over €800,000 has been awarded to 45 community-led projects.

The local biodiversity action fund, LBAF, operated by the NPWS, has delivered nearly €11 million to local authorities since 2018, supporting 262 projects across 31 local authorities this year alone. Most local authorities now have a biodiversity officer, thanks to the Heritage Council's rollout of the biodiversity officer programme. We have also launched biodiversity duty guidelines to help public bodies to embed biodiversity into everyday decision making. We are seeing powerful partnerships emerge. Coillte and the NPWS have signed an memorandum of understanding for greater collaboration on nature projects. Bord na Móna continues peatland rehabilitation, with over 19,000 of 33,000 ha restored. The Business for Biodiversity platform is fostering private sector engagement. We are developing Ireland's nature restoration plan under the new EU Nature Restoration Law. Cross-border work continues through the shared island and PEACEPLUS initiatives. In addition, our built and archaeological heritage, including vernacular buildings, castle ruins, dry stone walls and earthworks, play an important role in the protection of biodiversity. Increasingly we are experiencing the co-benefits of measures and schemes which lead to improved awareness, care and protection of our built and archaeological heritage while also delivering significant benefits for biodiversity, such as through our community monuments fund, ACRES and farming community-led schemes. Farmers as generational custodians of our remarkable heritage landscape need to be acknowledged and fully supported in this regard.

These achievements offer a powerful snapshot of the heritage division’s enduring commitment to safeguarding biodiversity and restoring nature across Ireland. Under the leadership of the Minister, Deputy Browne, our Department is supporting this work through strong policy, targeted funding and clear direction. We in government cannot do this alone. Real, lasting progress depends on strong partnerships with communities, farmers, local authorities, schools, youth organisations, NGOs and the private sector. A whole-of-society approach is essential if we are to meet our targets for 2030 and beyond. As someone newly appointed to this role, I have been encouraged by what I have seen but I am also realistic about the scale of the work ahead. Biodiversity loss cannot be reversed overnight. It requires long-term commitment, sound planning, investment and sustained action. Our efforts are grounded in science, but must also be rooted in local knowledge and lived experience. The best outcomes are achieved when scientific expertise, traditional practices and community insight work together.

Today also marks Natura 2000 Day, when Ireland joins the EU in celebrating the world’s largest network of protected sites - over 27,000 across Europe, covering nearly 20% of land and 10% of marine areas. To celebrate, the NPWS is hosting a series of events across the country, including at St. Gobnet’s Wood SAC in County Cork on 22 and 23 May. Natura 2000 sites highlight some of the finest examples of the habitats and species we are committed to protecting. This day is also a chance to acknowledge the incredible restoration work happening across Ireland. For example, raised and blanket bogs are being actively restored through various projects. Old oak woodlands are being cleared of invasive species like cherry laurel in the Glen of the Downs SAC in County Wicklow. There is also the clearing of rhododendron at Glenveagh National Park in County Donegal, which is at such an extent that we are starting to see the amazing regeneration and new growth of native species.

I am pleased to highlight some of the fantastic events happening in County Cork during National Biodiversity Week, including a citizen science workshop at the Lifetime Lab and a bat walk in Blarney on 23 May. There will be marine biodiversity sessions at Fountainstown beach and birdwatching at the Lough in Cork city on 24 May.

Too often, biodiversity is seen as something external, separate from human life, but the truth is clear. Our choices directly affect the health of ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity does not just harm other species; it undermines our well-being, our food security and our resilience in the face of climate change. This Department remains firmly committed to halting biodiversity loss and reversing it. Our efforts must be rooted in science, informed by local knowledge and supported by community energy. We continue to support LIFE projects at European level, which have delivered significant positive outcomes across Ireland. At the same time, it is both fitting and essential for this Government to continue to invest in national projects, particularly those led by the NPWS. The valuable work carried out within our national parks and on our nature reserves supports biodiversity not only through direct conservation, but also by offering educational opportunities and increasing public access to nature. As Minister of State, I have seen at first hand the extraordinary work being done. Farmers are restoring hedgerows, communities are planting for pollinators, landowners are rewetting bogs and schools are instilling a sense of environmental responsibility in our children. These local actions are vital but they must be matched by strong national policy, sustained investment and effective enforcement. The national biodiversity action plan gives us a roadmap, but it will take all of us, across every sector and every community, to ensure that Ireland's natural heritage not only survives but thrives.

I am under no illusion. We have not solved the biodiversity crisis. Species are still in trouble. Habitats are still under threat and many trends are going the wrong way. However, we have an opportunity to fix that. We are putting together a nature restoration plan and we should use it as an opportunity first and foremost to improve outcomes for biodiversity, but it should also be done in a collaborative way. We need to include landowners, farmers, stakeholders and conservationists. Collaboration is the key. That collaboration is why we have set up the biodiversity council, chaired by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, which has those stakeholders, including conservationists, NGOs and farmers. It will not be a top-down approach. We need to do this from the grassroots. It has to be bottom-up. We have to listen so that we come up with a plan that is beneficial to biodiversity, species and habitats, but is also right for the people. In doing that we will remove any misinformation. Already, we are seeing some of that misinformation emerge, especially in the area of rewetting. Some people would have you believe that all farmers in Ireland will have to rewet their land. That is absolutely not the case. Rewetting, under the nature restoration plan, will be done on State-owned land and any rewetting outside State-owned land will be done on a completely voluntary basis and there will be incentives. That has to be clear.

I have seen first hand the results of collaboration between farmers and conservationists. It can be absolutely incredible, particularly for the LIFE projects I mentioned earlier, such as the Burren LIFE programme, the LIFE on machair project or the corncrake LIFE project, which is an extraordinary example of how farmers and conservationists can work together with amazing results. Corncrake LIFE was a difficult journey at the start. There was distrust between the conservationists and the farmers. It was a frosty relationship, but now we are the stage where those same farmers and conservationists are having cups of tea in the farmers' kitchens and depending on one another. They need one another. It has not only resulted in a good outcome for farmers with them benefiting financially, but we are seeing it have a benefit for an extraordinary bird, the corncrake, that has such an important place in Ireland's history. We are seeing their numbers increase significantly in some areas because of this collaboration. It is a model for how Ireland should move forward to benefit nature.

At the Annagh Marsh reserve in County Mayo, a simple measure, predator-proof fencing, has absolutely transformed the area. A marsh formerly depleted of any biodiversity is now bustling with wildlife and buzzing with insects. You cannot hear yourself for the sound of skylarks singing at this time of year. On every post, there is a snipe displaying. It is an extraordinary wildlife experience and it has happened through these simple measures, including collaboration. We can do this. There is a way forward and young people are leading the way. Their voices are powerful. One of my favourite parts of my role has been visiting schools, talking to children and listening to their passion and ideas for nature. We need to nurture that and make sure the future generation is our generation of ecologists who look after nature.

This is National Biodiversity Week, but as far as I am concerned, every week should be biodiversity week. I suggest that for people's sanity and mental health they spend two hours in nature. It will be good for them. That message could go to a lot of people in this House. It is a stressful job. We know that as TDs. If Deputies spend two hours in nature, they will not regret it. That goes for the general public as well. Nature is good for us. We can get benefits from nature so I suggest that this week and every week from now, people get a pair of binoculars and head to their local estuary to spend a couple of hours trying to find waders or tell the difference between a curlew and a whimbrel, or head to their local patch of woodland to listen to the dawn chorus. They do not have to try to identify the different species; they can just let it wash over them and they will get serious enjoyment out of it. Perhaps they could join a local biodiversity group or go kicksampling in a stream where they will find the incredible monsters that live beneath the surface. It is rewarding. There are many things we could do, such as heading to a headland in County Cork, for example. That would be a good place to start. At this time of year, if people spend time there and give it time, they will see the most amazing things. Basking sharks can be seen at this time of year, and dolphins. There is a chance people could see one of the great whales, finback whales or humpback whales. Give nature a chance. The more people immerse themselves in nature, the more they will appreciate it and the more of us who appreciate nature, the better the outcomes for nature. Happy biodiversity week.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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We can all see how passionate the Minister of State is about National Biodiversity Week. I am pleased to follow my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, and to join this important discussion as we mark National Biodiversity Week. It is a key moment in our national calendar when we reflect on, celebrate and, most important, act to protect and restore Ireland's precious natural heritage.

Throughout my time in public life, particularly during my work in housing, local government and community development, I have seen how deeply biodiversity is connected to people's lives. From how we plan and build our communities to how we manage our public spaces and support rural life, nature is part of the everyday fabric of Ireland. As the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, has outlined, the challenges we face are serious. Biodiversity loss is accelerating at home and around the globe, but as we mark this dedicated week of awareness and action, we also have reasons for hope because momentum is building not just in Government policy but also in the growing engagement of local communities, young people and other citizens. Through such initiatives as the local biodiversity action fund, the town centre first scheme and green infrastructure planning, we are supporting practical projects that restore nature while improving people's lives. These projects are not abstract. They mean cleaner rivers, safer flood plains, thriving pollinators, pollination and green public spaces that bring people together.

Local government has a vital role to play. Local authorities now have dedicated biodiversity officers, supported by national funding, who are helping to mainstream biodiversity in everything from planning to parks management. Community groups, especially in towns and villages, are stepping up to protect native species, create pollinator-friendly spaces and engage the next generation. This is work I have seen at first hand in constituencies across the country and it is part of why I care so deeply about this issue. Nature is not just something to be protected in chosen sites; it lives all around us and it thrives when we work together to care for it.

Of course more must be done. The national biodiversity action plan gives us a strong framework, but I will make sustained efforts in cross-sector co-operation to meet its goals. This is what we are all doing, through the Minister. We are all making the effort through all the different sectors co-operating to meet goals. Biodiversity must be considered in housing, agriculture, transport and education and we must listen closely to those already doing this work on the ground. The Minister of State spoke about farmers, volunteers and local experts because they are key to real progress.

Today is day six of National Biodiversity Week. It has seen a remarkable increase in participation, rising from 293 events last year to 350 this year. Over these ten days people of all ages throughout the country are engaging in activities that underscore the importance of biodiversity to our health, well-being and future. Organised by the Irish Environmental Network and supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Biodiversity Week is a nationwide opportunity to reconnect with nature. It brings together community groups, NGOs and local authorities showing off all their showcases and the very best of Ireland's natural heritage through guided walks, hands-on workshops and citizen science projects. There is so much going on. As I said, there are 350 events this year. That is absolutely brilliant and to be welcomed. Events taking place include hedgerow and woodland walks, whale watching, bat surveys and biodiversity cycle tours. Children are being introduced to wildlife in their local parks and gardens. They are learning how to support pollinators. We now have gardeners doing courses and very much involved in this. Families are participating in activities and what is called the backyard bioblitz. I am sure some Members are aware of that. There is also the biodiversity scavenger hunt.

Importantly, this week also aligns with a number of international awareness days. Today we mark Natura 2000 Day, celebrating Europe's protected habitats. Tomorrow is the International Day for Biological Diversity, with this year's theme being harmony with nature and sustainable development. European Day of Parks, which will take place on 24 May, recognises the legacy of Europe's first national parks.

In my own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny there are inspiring examples of community engagement. In Carlow, daily guided tours at Altamont Gardens are drawing visitors, while the Carlow Beekeepers Association is sharing knowledge through online talks. For those who like to get out and about, guided walks are available throughout the week. A series of bat walks is arranged for evening time and, in Kilkenny, a dusk chorus at the castle and a hands-on water sampling workshop at Kenny's Well. These offer people a chance to connect directly with nature and learn how to support it. These events are important and bring everybody together. It was great that we had such good weather all week. That encouraged people to go to as many events as possible. We cannot give the Minister the praise for that.

This week also shines a light on the growing momentum behind Ireland's response to the biodiversity crisis through the work of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, in partnership with local authorities, landowners, communities and conservation organisers. We are seeing real progress in restoring habitats, supporting species and promoting sustainable land use. I acknowledge the tireless efforts of so many local volunteers, environmental educators, NPWS staff, farmers and community leaders who are on the front line of the work every day. Their efforts are often unseen but they are essential. That is what it is all about - recognising the good work that is being done around Ireland. It is important that we give them the thanks and praise they deserve. As with everything, the people behind the scenes are doing the work and sometimes we forget to recognise them. Our schools and youth organisations also deserve recognition. Such programmes as Green Schools and the youth biodiversity networks instill a deep sense of environmental stewardship in the next generation, a generation that will carry forward the responsibility of protecting what we risk losing.

With four days remaining in National Biodiversity Week I encourage everyone across this House and throughout the country to take part, attend an event and take time to appreciate the ecosystem that sustains us all. Biodiversity protection is not just a duty. It is an opportunity to create healthier communities, build resilience in the face of climate change and to leave behind a living, thriving natural heritage for future generations. I am proud to stand here during National Biodiversity Week to reaffirm my own commitment and that of this Government and the Minister of State, who has been working hard visiting farmers, schools and different areas around the country. We must all continue working with colleagues across the House to turn plans into action and ambition into results. I look forward to a productive and solution-focused debate on how we can continue to strengthen Ireland’s efforts to protect and restore biodiversity.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O’Sullivan, sa phost nua. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil a lán suime aige sa ról. I know this because I was on the climate committee with him for a couple of years in the previous term. Anyone who heard his speech will know it as well.

This week we mark National Biodiversity Week with events happening up and down the country, including my own County Kildare. It was great to meet the biodiversity officer in Kildare County Council. I am looking forward to taking part in more of the biodiversity events this week. The Minister for housing, Deputy James Browne, said last week that we in Ireland are lucky to be surrounded by such a wealth of biodiversity which we must work to protect as well as appreciate. Although many of us certainly appreciate all that our lakes, parks and gardens offer us in our daily lives, this Government has not always worked to protect them. I am sure that will change now with the Minister of State, Deputy O’Sullivan, in charge.

Year after year we hear calls from environmental agencies that we are in the midst of an ecological crisis. The eighth Ireland’s State of the Environment report was published by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, last year. It found that almost 85% of our protected habitats and almost a third of our protected species of flora and fauna are in poor condition. The EPA claims this loss of nature and biodiversity is so severe that it could signal the sixth mass extinction event. Yesterday we all heard yesterday the news about the ecological disaster unfolding in Lady's Island Lake in Wexford. The pollution levels have reached an unprecedented level, according to Dr. Brendan O'Connor. This is a place of pilgrimage for so many and provides beautiful views of Eardownes Great and Ballycushlane. Anyone who has been there can attest to that. Castletown House, Celbridge, in my own constituency of Kildare North is also biodiversity rich, with beautiful nature trails and lakes. It is good to take time out in nature.

According to the Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland, there is not much emphasis on cross-Border coherence at a European level when it comes to ecosystems and habitats. Partition has done biodiversity and climate action a real disservice in Ireland. We have two jurisdictions managing the habitats and ecosystems on one island and, frankly, it is ridiculous. While Sinn Féin continues the struggle for a united Ireland, it is imperative that the Irish State plays a bigger role in the preservation of our biodiversity throughout the whole island. Our first climate committee meeting took place this afternoon. We all know biodiversity knows no political borders. With Britain now outside the EU and not adhering to any EU environmental frameworks, it is really important that the Irish Government steps up and takes a leadership role. We must plan the biodiversity framework for reunification and make sure that the national biodiversity action plan is actually national, for the Thirty-two Counties. We must support local conservation groups in the Six Counties.

I was speaking earlier about Lady's Island Lake, the lagoon in Wexford, but Lough Neagh comes to mind as well. Bobby Sands spoke about the laughter of our children and that laughter is under threat if we do not get this under control. It is imperative that we recognise the threat to our climate, biodiversity and humanity by taking seriously our duty to lower our emissions, protect our network of protected areas, commit to afforestation targets and the decolonisation of Ireland and protect our waters through strong and ambitious marine protection area laws. Caithfimid go léir teacht le chéile ar an gceist seo. Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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We face a biodiversity crisis. The green of our landscape masks the loss of so many key elements of our natural environment. Our life support system is on the brink of collapse and the picture is stark. Over the past 40 or 50 years every single indicator has been on a downward trend. Natural habitats are being degraded or homogenised, forest cover is being eroded and species are becoming extinct. We, as a country, share a deep connection with nature and this is a devastating loss for Ireland. As a result of the deep connection we have with nature, however, there remains hope - hope that with the right determination and political will we can turn this ship around. We are required to act.

I note a number of matters mentioned in the Minister of State's speech. I accept that a lot of work is being done. Perhaps more could be done about the rhododendron in Killarney National Park. We need a seven-year plan on that. The Minister of State mentioned our built and archaeological heritage. I refer to Tralee Courthouse, which is being ignored. The plan put forward by the Courts Service, supported by the Minister for Justice, is to close the courthouse, take away court services without any plan, build a new building on the other side of town and move there.

It does not make sense.

ACRES needs to be fully supported, as the Minister of State said. It needs more funding and to be fully supported.

The Government does not seem to be acting but in some ways it is going backwards. I would like the Minister of State’s opinion on the outrageous suggestion in recent comments by the Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, Deputy Healy-Rae, that we should plant more forestry on peatland. We think this would be a disaster for Ireland’s emissions. Maybe he is rowing back and has changed his mind but there are different signals coming from different parts of Government. Will the Minister of State confirm that is not the Government’s plan to put more forestry on peatlands, as doing so would be catastrophic?

We still have no marine protected areas legislation despite repeated assurances that the Bill would be published. Three years later we are still waiting and damage could be done. Our rivers are also in a precarious state. The antiquated Arterial Drainage Act obliges the OPW to dredge rivers and, as heavy machinery is employed in the process, trees are torn out and structures filled with debris. It is a disaster for biodiversity. Not only that, it can also lead to flooding. I am convinced that the flooding in Listowel before Christmas was a result of the lack of flood management and related to forestry. In the past the bogs used to soak it up but now the water comes down. Does the Minister of State have any comment on those points?

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Biodiversity affects everyone in every part of the country. Biodiversity week offers an important opportunity to examine this critical part of life on our planet. It is not just nature for the planet; it is for human beings, too. It is for everybody and we are all a part of that.

It is crucial we take a serious approach to tackling the biodiversity crisis in Ireland. Farmers manage and own the vast majority of land on the island. While there are other agencies which are part of that and play a vital role, farming is the key thing we have to crack in order to turn around this biodiversity crisis. Agriculture often gets a bad name when we talk about climate change and biodiversity but, in reality, farmers have been to the forefront and have for decades been well aware of the need to protect our habitats and biodiversity and to prevent the extinction of species. Irish farmers have consistently adapted farming practices, going back to meet the challenges of climate change over the years. It was 1994 when the first rural environmental scheme was introduced and farmers willingly and enthusiastically entered into the highly successful measures to protect our watercourses and our rivers as well as planting trees, hedgerows and so on at the time. Irish farmers have continued to participate in environmental schemes as part of CAP, including REPS, AEOS, GLAS and now, of course, ACRES. There are huge problems in respect of ACRES but, at its core, it is a biodiversity plan for farmland across the country. We want to encourage more farmers to be in it but it is very hard to do so if they do not get paid in time or it is not followed up, the whole thing turns into a mess and everyone blames a computer system for it. There needs to be recognition that if we want to get this work done we have to have a partnership between everybody, and agriculture is key to that partnership.

I refer to the schemes which have contributed to improving our biodiversity in various species. We used to see bat boxes up on trees around our part of the country as well as owl boxes and sand mounds for bees in the corners of meadows. There is a need to provide bird cover by not cutting meadows until late August into September to allow ground birds to nest and so on. All these are vital parts. That is why we must have a much greater emphasis on biodiversity.

There was something that always struck me about the basic payment scheme whereby farmers get paid per hectare. Farmers would get a map which was captured by a satellite and be told that they would be penalised in how much they would receive because the hedgerows had grown wider and therefore the land area was smaller. If a farmer had applied for 24.9 ha they would be paid for less than that and be penalised. So what did they do the next year? They cut all the hedgerows out of the way. That was absolutely detrimental to biodiversity. There is a need for more joined-up thinking. It is very important that farmers are part of the plan in respect of all this.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The climate and biodiversity crises are utterly linked and cannot be underestimated. This is often overlooked and siloed in different parts of the Government. Rather than taking a whole-of-government approach it often seems that parts of the Government do not talk to each other at all. I recall one unit in the Department of housing proposing that hill farmers fence-off all watercourses, an action that the National Parks and Wildlife Service for which would never give the required consent. It is symptomatic of an approach to both crises where the Government mandates without due consideration of other impacts, whether emissions, biodiversity, family-farm incomes, fuel poverty or poverty generally. That is one reason it is regrettable that during the last CAP negotiations the Government did not throw its weight behind Sinn Féin’s proposals that eco schemes would be a new third pillar of the CAP, crucially with a new funding model. Instead, farmers were asked to do more to secure the funding that was already in place. To assist our farmers to meet the challenges they face in the years ahead, I encourage the Government to seriously consider Sinn Féin’s proposal to establish a €300 million national restoration fund. If the Government wants farmers to do more, we should once and for all stop asking them to foot the bill for climate action from their already small margins.

Dwindling European funds for regional development have already damaged our ability to abate biodiversity loss at local level. Over many years local development companies across the State have run incredible programmes to protect and enhance biodiversity. However, their ability to do so has been hampered by a shrinking budget which has not been restored to the levels that were in place before the financial crisis. In Monaghan the annual allocation is only 10% higher than it was under the programme from 2014 to 2020. Inflation during that period has wiped out that small increase twofold, meaning a real term loss for local development companies. I appeal to the Government that, as negotiations on the new EU budget gather pace, it should support farmers and our local development companies and argue for a reversal of the cuts it has overseen for the past 15 years.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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I am glad of the opportunity to speak on this issue today. The protection and restoration of biodiversity across Ireland is of critical importance. It is an all-island issue. The border does not exist in the context of biodiversity. We are facing a biodiversity crisis. Over 60% of Ireland’s native species are in decline. Our bogs are drying and our rivers are polluted. The River Tolka comes through the middle of my constituency. It is heartbreaking to see the hard work by fisher groups and the young lads fishing all the way down to Finglas, and then to often see fish kills as a result of pollution. It is dreadful.

Hedgerows are being lost. My constituency is a very large urban area but 20 or 30 years ago when I moved out to Dublin 15 it was all farmland and fields. Much of that biodiversity has been lost. Thankfully the new county development plan has a very strong emphasis on protecting the existing hedgerows. Some 85% of Ireland’s habitats are inadequate or in a poor state. Many of our native species are under threat from urbanisation and the destruction of their natural habitat. We have the lowest tree cover in Europe, at just 11%, compared with an EU average of 35%. A couple of hundred years ago there was a massive wooded area called the Scaldwood in what is now Dublin 15. It is now reduced to small pockets in Clonsilla, just across the road from me, in the Millennium Park and around Tolka Valley. I commend Fingal County Council for the work it is doing in trying to encourage the planting of more trees. Only this week, as I walked through the park I saw the operations department planting new indigenous trees.

We recognise that real environmental change must begin locally. Local councils are on the front line not only in protecting biodiversity but also in creating the conditions for it to thrive. I commend many of the local environmental groups such as Tidy Towns Blanchardstown, Clonsilla Tidy Towns, Castleknock Tidy Towns and Riverwood Biodiversity Group. We had a really interesting seminar last week in Dublin 15. There is really important work being done by local communities and it is important that we continue and support that work.

I will mention one simple thing we can do for biodiversity and that is hedgerows. There are hedgerows throughout the State, which can be seen whenever you drive down any road. A very simple thing we could do is to help and support farmers by paying them to plant right beside existing hedgerows. We could double the number of hedgerows. It can be imagined the biodiversity we would create if we did that. It is something we should really think about in moving forward.

It is great to get an opportunity to speak on this because it is very important. It is not just a rural issue; it is an urban issue as well. We care about it as well.

Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I welcome the opportunity to speak on the issue of biodiversity and to mark biodiversity week. We have an awful lot to do in this area. The Minister of State will know that better than anyone else. He has a reputation for passion in this area. I look forward to working with him as best we can over this term.

In Ireland, we very often trade on the incredible beauty and richness of our landscapes. It is probably our most marketable asset, if it can be put that way. Millions of people come here every year to experience our 40 shades of green for themselves, but the unfortunate reality is that our prized asset, namely, our natural environment, is at serious risk. Just this week, we saw reports that 40 shades of green algae have taken over Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford, which is supposedly a special area of conservation. Excessive nutrients in the water have given rise to a high production of algae, which grow at such a density they block out the light and stop the plants that were growing on the lake bed, and stop anything living in the lake. The EPA has reported that agricultural run-off is the source of the excess nutrient levels. The lake is dead. Locals cannot even let their dogs swim in it.

Our landscapes and the beauty we all enjoy in this country are only as rich as our biodiversity. Our ecosystems are in a critical state. It is not an exaggeration to say we are facing an ecological crisis. Some 91% of our habitats are in an unfavourable condition and 15% of our protected species are in decline. The fact we had a Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, and a Children and Young People's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, is testament to the crisis we face, which is already here. We know what needs to be done. We have the reports and recommendations of those assemblies. The first three recommendations of the citizens' assembly are illuminating. They each point to a failure by the State in protecting our biodiversity and environment and call for urgent interventions, including just enforcing existing laws relating to biodiversity. I appreciate that many of the recommendations contained in the assemblies' reports are being put into action. This Government must continue on that path and ensure that each recommendation is fully realised. That will require a redoubling of the commitment to addressing our biodiversity crisis with sustained funding for initiatives that seek to improve our habitats, waterways and air quality.

We in the Labour Party have consistently called for a more active and ambitious State in respect of housing, healthcare and in our efforts to combat the climate and biodiversity crises. These are the most existential crises we face, not just as a country but as a species. This is about protecting our island and our seas but it also about protecting our future. The State has a crucial role to play, in particular, our semi-States. Bodies such as Coillte and Bord na Móna, for example, control extensive tracts of land where the State could make a huge difference in improving biodiversity and restoring nature. However, their mandates are largely defined in commercial terms. We need to look at what role they can play beyond a primarily economic one. We need to ensure that their objectives and operations align with our climate, biodiversity and nature restoration ambitions. I encourage the Minister of State to work with the Ministers for the environment and agriculture to look into amending the Forestry Act and the Turf Development Act to see what can be done in that regard.

The same can be said for the likes of Teagasc. We could reconstitute that as a food security agency, for example, tasked with working with stakeholders to ensure we are growing more of what we eat. The OPW could be given a stronger role in climate mitigation and mandated to take a more nature-based approach to things such as flood prevention work, as others mentioned, rather than the heavy engineering and concrete-pouring approach that appears to be its current preference, which is something I have direct experience of locally with the Whitechurch stream flood alleviation scheme in Rathfarnham. The point I am trying to make is we need to see a cross-departmental and whole-of-government approach to addressing this crisis, including by using the existing structures within our semi-States.

We are seeing great action at local level. My local authority, South Dublin County Council, is doing incredible work on biodiversity, nature restoration and nature conservation. It is leading by example, which my colleagues in Dublin Mid-West can attest to. Its biodiversity action plan is a superb document. It has been fantastic to see the actions it contains come to fruition over the past number of years. We are seeing great initiatives, such as the restoration of the Tallaght wetlands and the creation of biodiversity habitats along Dodder Valley Park, which was shortlisted for a green award. These areas are teeming with ecological richness and biodiversity. It is really great to see. There is also the development of the Dodder Greenway, a joint initiative between South Dublin County Council and Dublin City Council. While it is not finished yet, the impact the finished portions are having can already be seen in creating new ecosystems and habitats, as well as providing a wonderful asset to our community and preserving existing biodiversity, including our famous kingfisher. It is a great example of the benefits of connecting people with nature, particularly in urban areas.

It is very important that people feel that connection with our environment and recognise their stake in it. They see its intrinsic value. Ensuring continued access to the countryside can play a role here. I will recognise the efforts of the Keep Ireland Open group in this regard. We need to bring people along with us if we are to address the climate and biodiversity crisis. People need to feel and experience the benefit of a healthy and thriving natural environment, as the Minister of State mentioned, be it through our parks, waterways or woodlands, and taking time to do so. People are taking action on an individual level as well as a community level. Community allotments are terrific examples of people coming together and living by that principle of growing what we eat to the greatest extent possible. Organisations such as Community Gardens Ireland are doing fantastic work in connecting people with our ecosystems through the development of community gardens.

I also pay special tribute to Collie Ennis, the biodiversity officer at Trinity College, as someone who has inspired me on a personal level. He has done amazing work in promoting mini-ponds, including one on the Trinity campus that is teeming with ecology. Many of us Dubs will have noticed the rewilding of the former lawns outside the college on College Green. It is a great example of how even a small patch of land can provide such a rich habitat for plants and animals, even in the city centre. My party leader, Deputy Ivana Bacik, has also shown the sort of actions we can take in protecting and enhancing biodiversity in Dublin, with her Dublin Bay Bill. We need to reverse the decline in our rivers, lakes and coastal waters more broadly. As I mentioned, we are seeing the effects of excess nutrients in lakes and rivers all over the country. Ivana's Bill provides a good model to establish some sort of authority to monitor and protect against water pollution, not just in Dublin Bay but in other coastal areas and harbours around the country that are ecologically damaged.

We need to involve all stakeholders in our efforts to restore biodiversity and nature, including communities, environmental organisations, public bodies and, crucially, our farmers. It is vital that farmers are brought with us as we endeavour to tackle this crisis. A lot of the degradation we have seen in our biodiversity and ecosystems is, historically, as a result of farming practices. I acknowledge there is a lot of anxiety among that cohort about the necessary measures we have to take in the agricultural space in order to deal with this crisis. We saw that in some of the responses to the nitrates directive and the EU nature restoration law, especially with regard to rewetting. We urgently need to re-wet a considerable amount of our peatlands but we must do so in a manner that ultimately benefits those who work that land. The principles of a just transition must apply.

I will bring the issue of biodiversity a little closer to home. While walking through the Merrion Street side of our campus, I was glad to see a sign for No Mow May indicating that the grass will not be cut for the month of May to allow wildflowers and wildlife to flourish. The whole idea of having perfectly pristine lawns, be it at Leinster House or our own homes, is an anti-environmental and anti-biodiversity practice. There is an interesting history behind that practice, as an expression of colonialism and classism. The "civilised colonisers" in places like America kept their gardens pristine, at least aesthetically, while the native population lived in the wild. This is not to mention the fact that when we cut our grass, we are essentially colonising the habitats of various types of plant, wildflowers and species, and creating green deserts. It is another one of those things all of us could do to make one small improvement to our biodiversity at an individual level. Beekeepers are warning us that pollinators, such as the native Irish honeybee, are under threat because of issues of habitat destruction and the use of pesticides. Those pollinators are vital in maintaining our ecosystems. This is a threat we need to take seriously. If essential pollinators, such as honeybees, end up going extinct, we will see a massive depletion in ecosystems and further degradation in biodiversity. If the bees die, we die. A small but effective step each of us could quite easily take is to let our gardens and grass go that little bit wilder.

The real beauty in our lawns and gardens is not in their aesthetics but in their role as homes for hundreds of species of flowers and insects.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am sharing my time with Deputy Cormac Devlin.

Sometimes they say a Minister is well geared to his Ministry. There is no better Ministry for Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan than the one he has. I congratulate him on his new role. It is great to see him sitting on the Front Bench. Those who do not know Deputy O'Sullivan, or Christopher as we know him on this side, should note that when he is not here in the Dáil and has done his constituency work, he will climb over ditches and go along cliff paths to do something called twitching, which I did not know was a thing until two years ago. It is nothing illegal, by the way. He goes down sea paths looking for rare birds and then photographs and documents them. He eats, sleeps and drinks biodiversity, and it is great to have him leading the associated section of the Department. Best of luck to him in his role.

For all the passion the Minister of State has for biodiversity, I have a passion for history. This is linked to biodiversity because, in my home parish, or just behind it, is Cratloe Woods, which was once western Europe's most famous oakland. It had over 600 acres of prime oak trees – sessile oaks, the pride of Ireland. It was a forestry plantation that the British Navy looked at with envy. It looked at the battleships it could build. Indeed, the oak from Cratloe Woods was used to build HMS Victory and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Most famously, it was used in the period 1840 to 1857 to put a roof over the House of Commons. Therefore, when our counterparts in Britain were debating during the First World War, the Second World War and many other significant historical events, they were doing so under a roof of sessile oak grown in Cratloe, County Clare, a very special plantation. However, if you go there now, you will see conifers, including spruce and Scots pine. All the beautiful native trees have been taken. Of the 600 acres of the plantation, only about 40 or 50 acres have the native sessile oak. Some of them are on the border of my farm. I see how beautiful they are and the biodiversity that surrounds them. When you go deeper into the forest, where there are spruces and other conifers, you see no biodiversity.

I ask the Minister of State to lead an initiative in his Department to reinstate the sessile oak by growing it in nurseries again and replanting it. I am part of a local group that, in the autumn, collects some of the acorns, propagates them in little tubs and pots, and replants them in and around Cratloe. I would love to see the Minister of State lead this initiative. Why not? We do not have a big island and 600 acres is not a whole lot of land. Why not consider giving us back our heritage woods, which would far outlive the 30-year cycle of conifer trees? The latter just get felled. It is like a post-apocalyptic site when they are felled. We could have beautiful oaks that will outlast all of us and that some other generation will talk about here in many years to come.

Also on trees and the lack of biodiversity, in the 1980s people in Ireland became obsessed with the cypress tree. They are ugly, sprawling, green conifer trees that were very problematic during Storm Éowyn. It is time that we banned these trees. They are not a native species and they take over. Some say they can become invasive in woodlands, and they do not offer any biodiversity. They are damned dangerous when there is a storm or high winds blowing.

In the past year, I tweeted on a couple of occasions about how dirty our riverbeds can be when the tide goes out. I tweeted to Limerick city council. The tweet was a little embarrassing. It showed that, down in the depths of the river, there were trolleys and old bicycles. It was not the council's fault but it does of course have a role in keeping the area neat, tidy and cleaned up. The same applies in Dublin. Just as you go over the little cast-iron bridge at Heuston Station, you see the river is full of litter of all sorts. We may care about everything in the sky and everything that grows on land but we should also be looking at what is in our waters. It would be great if the Minister of State could write to some of the local authorities and ask them what they are doing to make sure that riverbeds are kept free of the debris and junk that are particularly visible when the tide is out, that whatever settles in the silt is taken from it and that biodiversity and nature can thrive again. All the junk in the river looks pretty ugly to tourists on the quayside at Heuston Station, Dublin. I do not know if our counterparts responsible for the River Thames in London or the River Seine in Paris would tolerate it. It is the same in Limerick and most big cities where there are tidal rivers. Local authorities could do more. Maybe a little nudge from Deputy O'Sullivan, as Minister of State, asking them what they are doing might prompt some of them to take action. Legislators should not be conducting business by putting out embarrassing little tweets. The following morning, you see local authority staff cleaning up the river. That is not how it should be done; it should be done on a proactive basis, not a reactive one. Best of luck to the Minister of State.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I join my colleague in formally congratulating the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, on his new portfolio. Deputy Crowe failed to mention the waterways to which the Minister of State takes in his spare time.

Biodiversity Week gives us a moment to reflect not only on the wonder of Ireland's natural heritage but also on the scale of the challenge we face in restoring and protecting it. I acknowledge the tremendous progress made in recent years. Since 2020, we have increased National Parks and Wildlife Service funding from €28.7 million to €78 million. We have grown the service's team by two thirds, from 349 staff to 577. That represents real investment and, indeed, real ambition. I have spoken about this previously in the House.

We are also seeing the results of our investment, including the creation of Ireland's first maritime national park. Two national parks have been established since 2020. Over €2.9 million has been committed this year alone to local biodiversity projects in every county. In this regard acknowledge the work done on biodiversity in my constituency by the Monkstown Tidy Towns group. Tidy Towns groups up and down the country are making a huge effort for Biodiversity Week, as the Minister of State will be aware. In fact, there are 350 different events celebrating Biodiversity Week and engaging communities up and down the country – from whale watching and woodland walks to bat-box building and biodiversity cycles.

In my constituency, Dún Laoghaire, I warmly welcomed the recent allocation of funding for Loughlinstown forest, which will enhance a valued local amenity and protect a vital green lung for our community. Dún Laoghaire is a proud maritime constituency, home to our outstanding harbours and the seafront. It is part of the Dublin Bay UNESCO Biosphere. It is one of only a handful of such areas in the world that combines a capital city with a protected marine environment. Our coast, harbours and marine habitats are not just scenic treasures; they are also rich in biodiversity and critical to climate resilience.

Of course, Fianna Fáil's record on the environment stretches back generations. It began with Éamon de Valera's strong commitment to reforestation and nature, culminating in the Forestry Act 1946, which laid the groundwork for modern woodland restoration. The Ceann Comhairle will be aware of the creation of the 620-acre John F. Kennedy Arboretum, officially opened in 1968 in New Ross, Wexford, by the then President Éamon de Valera. It is a living monument to biodiversity that was well ahead of its time in promoting education, conservation and commemoration.

That legacy of action continued. It was a Fianna Fáil in government that introduced the first ban on smoky coal in 1990, a pioneering move that dramatically improved air quality and reduced premature deaths in our cities. We also established the Environmental Protection Agency under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, giving Ireland an independent environmental watchdog at a time when few countries had one. Today, that legacy continues.

However, beyond celebration, this week is also about responsibility. We are in the middle of a global biodiversity crisis. The extinction of species, degradation of ecosystems and impact on water and soil health all threaten our food security, climate goals and the well-being of future generations. That is why we now have a legally binding EU nature restoration regulation and why Ireland is developing a national nature restoration plan. The first leaders' forum met in March and community conversations will follow. Crucially, this will not entail top-down diktat; the process will be shaped by farmers, fishers, foresters, scientists and, indeed, citizens.

Fianna Fáil in government believes in a just transition. That means voluntary, well-supported measures, not punishment. Our agri-environment schemes are a clear example. ACRES now supports over 55,000 farmers and has seen €490 million paid to date for habitat restoration, tree planting and the protection of nearly 9,000 km of watercourses. Some 21,000 nest boxes have been built for barn owls and kestrels. This is biodiversity in action, led by our farming community. We have also expanded wetland restoration in the midlands, supported peatland rehabilitation through Bord na Móna and rolled out biodiversity duties for all public bodies, embedding nature into how we plan, build and manage public services.

There is more to do, of course. We must build on the fourth national biodiversity action plan for the period 2023 to 2030. The Minister of State worked on that with me when he was a member of the climate action committee during the previous Dáil.

We must increase research funding and strengthen enforcement to combat wildlife crime. We must continue to bring nature into our towns and cities - into our schools, our greenways and our housing schemes.

Restoring nature is not just an environmental duty; it is a national project that binds community, culture and care for the land.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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By the sounds of things, we all now know what the Minister of State does in his spare time. It sounds very interesting. Comhghairdeachas on the new role.

I live in Galway city. Where I live, on the east side of Galway city, we are really lucky with different nature places we can go to. One of my favourite places is Ballyloughane Beach. I love going down there for a walk. Another place is Merlin Woods. During the Covid pandemic, I think we really noticed how important those places were, especially for people like me who live in a city. So many of us were very lucky to be able to go out in Merlin Woods in Galway city. It has been a huge respite for people on the east side of the city. I commend the fantastic work that has been done by Friends of Merlin Woods to enhance the woods in order to make it a place people can come to and use as a respite. There is also a community element. There is a community garden, litter pickups and all that kind of thing where people come together to have a sense of community and a place. Sometimes there can be not as strong a community in the new places in our cities. Friends of Merlin Woods have done huge work just this week again for Biodiversity Week organising so many different types of events. I commend them on that.

Likewise, we have the Dúlra Project, run with support from Forum Connemara. It is a community-based project in its approach to protecting our biodiversity. They are doing huge work to eradicate rhododendron in Connemara. Rhododendron is a highly invasive plant that takes over entire hillsides and prevents any native plants from growing. What is very difficult for the work of the Dúlra Project, for example, is that while it is doing the back-breaking labour of removing rhododendron root by root, you can go into the local garden centre and buy the very same plant for your garden, which totally undoes, obviously, the benefit of that work. Despite EU law, several invasive species are still sold in shops across this State. One of the recommendations from the citizens' assembly on biodiversity was to ban the sale of these invasive species. We need to look at that because huge work has been done.

We also need a long-term approach to improving our biodiversity. We have the people on the ground who are committed and willing to do the work but we need that vision as well. We have schemes like ACRES, but there are huge issues with ACRES and people not getting paid and not being able to get the information as to when they will get paid either.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I love the Minister of State's passion for nature. You can tell it is a huge part of who he is, and I look forward to working with him over the term of this Dáil to see what we can achieve in this regard. It is absolutely needed and I know he wholeheartedly knows and believes that as well. In his statement he spoke about how this needs to deal with nature and how our biodiversity crisis needs to be a grassroots exercise involving communities. I absolutely agree with him on that, but the Government has a huge role to play in this. We need a government that is a role model for nature. The Government and the State are the biggest landowners in the country, so there is a real responsibility and a real onus on the Government to use that land for nature and to be very active and conscious of its responsibility in that regard. I am referring specifically to the lands of Coillte and Bord na Móna and the practices of the OPW. The Minister of State was on the previous Oireachtas committee on climate and environment with me. One of the main recommendations that came out of one of our reports was that the legal remits of Coillte, Bord na Móna and the OPW need to change. They need to reflect the need to protect biodiversity. There has to be a public interest element to what they do, and the protection of biodiversity should be at the core of what they do. Unfortunately, at the moment, they are on a purely commercial basis, and that really ties the hands of these entities in many regards. A lot of the time when we look to the likes of Coillte and ask why it is not doing more for nature, a large part of that is because the State has not given it the legislative framework to do more for nature. We could see that recently with Coillte Nature being quietly abolished earlier this year. No one really seemed to know about it. It happened very quietly and under the radar. That was a bad move and it should be revised, or certainly the legislative framework. If that were done, I think that would make a huge difference.

As regards Bord na Móna, I have heard recently that a solar farm is to go up on two lands that Bord na Móna own which are the exact site where we have a pair of breeding cranes. As the Minister of State knows, those cranes have tried to breed in Ireland for a few years. They have managed to produce fledglings in the last year or two. They have not been in Ireland or bred in Ireland for hundreds of years. I would have major concerns about any potential plans for a solar farm there. I have asked for more details from Bord na Móna on it, but I will certainly be keeping an eye on it and I ask that the Minister of State do so as well.

Not only have the Government and the State been the role model for nature, but we also need to protect and enhance what we have. We have some fantastic sites but they are not being managed properly and there has not been enough focus on enhancing and expanding what is there. I refer specifically to our national parks and many of our SACs in that regard.

I am sure the Minister of State expects me to mention the Glen of the Downs in Wicklow. It is a place very close to my heart, as it is to many people not just in Wicklow but on the east coast because it is such an iconic ancient woodland. There is an opportunity for the State to purchase land there. I know the National Parks and Wildlife Service is looking at that at the moment. I ask the Minister of State to expedite that process because I fear that that land could be sold and that that opportunity would be lost. Many areas like that are coming up for sale. Under the nature restoration laws, there will be a requirement on the State to purchase land and protect it for nature. We have Lugnaquilla. There is 1,500 acres going up for sale in Wicklow at the moment as well which is really in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. Again, if we were to use that €3.6 billion set aside in the climate, biodiversity and nature fund to purchase sites like this, it would be a really good thing to do, not just for our current need to meet our nature restoration laws but for generations to come and for nature restoration. We need to grasp these opportunities when they arise.

I will also mention Our Lady's Island. I was down there recently. I do not know if the Minister of State has been. It has huge potential to be a fantastic site for birds and it is absolutely dying. When I was down there, I saw problems with the site. There was what looked like sewage being pumped into the site. I contacted the council, the EPA and the National Parks and Wildlife Service - I was ringing around everyone. No one, not one single entity, is taking responsibility for that site. Many entities are responsible for different elements of it; no one has taken responsibility for it on a whole. Again, I ask that the Minister of State look into it. It is a special area of conservation that has huge potential.

I also want to mention badgers. This matter is in the news at the moment. It is another instance where a species that is protected under the Wildlife Act is also being hunted or killed under that Act. I ask that the Minister of State speak to the Minister for agriculture. The evidence is clear that the culling of badgers is not impacting on or reducing the incidence of bovine TB on farms. I understand how difficult it is when farmers get the result. It is devastating for them, but we need to work with them to make sure that the solutions that are put forward are actually working. They are not working at the moment.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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I do not know if the Minister of State is a birdwatcher but I am delighted to say that on 10 May, the swifts arrived to Dublin South-Central. We were absolutely delighted. A group of us were out mapping trees to see how many trees were there, and then the swifts arrived. Maybe they have arrived down the Minister of State's neck of the woods as well.

Dublin South-Central is a constituency that has, particularly in the Dublin 8 area, the lowest level of greenspace per capita in the country.

We have to work hard to keep areas in the city centre with biodiversity. I might mention some of the fantastic work that is happening. For example, Bloomin Crumlin has an orchard project and the Inchicore Environmental Group does vital work along the Camac river to restore the water quality and habitats. The Liberties litter pickers go out on the weekends to make sure the place we live is tidy, clean and free of rubbish and Trees for Tenters advocates for more native trees in an historic part of our city. There are cleanup crews in all parts of Dublin South Central. People are working from the ground up, taking it seriously. The Social Democrats has always championed a rights-based model of environmental protection. We are delighted to celebrate biodiversity this week and to see the number of people who have come to the Chamber to talk about it. It belongs to everybody. The Camac and Poddle rivers run through that neighbourhood. We must make sure those waterways are protected and maintained and that there are no more incidents like the one earlier this year in Inchicore when a structure fell into the river. We look forward, with all the building work going on, to seeing more biodiversity there.

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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Ministerial appointments by this Government have not generally filled me with joy but I was glad to hear the Minister of State would be taking up this role. It is clear he has a genuine love of nature and a wealth of knowledge to back it up that would put most of us to shame, so I welcome his appointment. Unfortunately, our trees and hedgerows have never been more in danger. The legal protections in place for habitats are wide open to abuse, due mainly to exemptions in the Wildlife Act, the cultural failure to take such crimes seriously and the ongoing lack of resourcing of the NPWS. Those of us who care deeply about nature are often left in a state of helpless dismay as healthy trees whose existence may have spanned generations or long rows of hedgerows are destroyed by heavy machinery for agricultural or construction purposes or sometimes for mere aesthetic reasons. Hedgerows are routinely pulverised by flails, often in areas where no road safety risk is posed, at any time of the year without consequence. The health and safety rationale is too often a carte blanche to destroy everything in sight.

There is no district conservation officer, regional manager or park ranger in the NPWS, which is a long-standing state of affairs. Bizarrely, when the Department is asked about staffing levels across different regions in parliamentary questions, the response is that the NPWS does not, for reasons of operational security, provide these details. If we were to follow this logic, information would not be provided on the number of gardaí stationed in a particular town or region. This country is a wild west when it comes to the protection of habitats. There are huge morale issues in the NPWS because it has been chronically under-resourced and hobbled by weak legislation in carrying out its work. The Wildlife Act is in desperate need of strengthening. Section 40(2)(b), in particular, allows for the destruction of vegetation "in the ordinary course of agriculture". That needs to change. I urge the Minister of State to engage with Hedgerows Ireland and BirdWatch Ireland to see how to better protect the natural heritage, which provides us with so much of our sense of place, well-being and connection with the very essence of life itself.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy this debate is taking place. As previous speakers said, nobody is in this House more committed to protecting our biodiversity and natural heritage than the Minister of State. I am appreciative of the work he does personally but I know he is committed to action and not just words. The decision by the former Minister Michael McGrath to establish the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund will be seen as very significant, particularly to ensure resourcing of our commitments to the natural environment. With the forthcoming nature restoration plan, there will be active engagement with local communities. It is also critical to engage with farmers. I have always believed that farmers are our front-line workers in the campaign to ensure our biodiversity is protected.

The expansion of national parks is welcome. The Minister of State and I were very committed to the Conor Pass in Kerry becoming a national park, which came to pass. There is a campaign for the Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster to become a national park. Councillor Barbara Anne Murphy in Bunclody regularly raises this issue. It is critical not just for biodiversity but for all of us to be able to enjoy those facilities.

Tara Hill is a beautiful area just north of Gorey. There are many habitats on the hill and all different kinds of flora and fauna, including a lot of Irish mammals like hares, foxes, red and grey squirrels, pygmy shrew and plenty of birds. The Minister of State is more than welcome to come birding on the hill. A lot of it has been mapped by the Tara Hill Community Development Association. As the Minister of State will be aware, on Sunday evening into Monday morning, there was a catastrophic gorse fire that swept across the hill. I pay tribute to the fire crews, emergency services and locals who battled it. While, fortunately, nobody was injured, there was quite a lot of damage to the ecosystem. The Minister of State will be aware of the damage these fires cause, not just on Tara Hill but throughout the country. I hope he will in due course meet the development association. We need to look at what supports can be put in place when gorse fires impact on areas of natural beauty and to support such rich ecosystems. It is critical that there is a strategy to try to prevent gorse fires and to restore the habitats after those incidents.

The other issue is the protection of our coasts. Our coastal communities are incredibly important as places for us to walk and enjoy and as significant contributors to biodiversity. While the Minister of State in west Cork and the Ceann Comhairle in south Wexford would make similar arguments, the constituency of Wicklow-Wexford has some of the finest beaches in the country where people can swim, walk and enjoy biodiversity, stretching down from Brittas Bay and Arklow north and south beach through Clogga, Kilpatrick, Ballymoney and Courtown, on to Cahore, Old Bawn, Ballinoulart and Morriscastle. I have not even named half of them. They are beautiful beaches and many Members will know them. A big challenge impacting on our enjoyment and biodiversity in the area is coastal erosion, not least because there is such a sandy coast. For most of the Wicklow and Wexford coast, the problem is sandy erosion. We need a strategy including beach nourishment programmes and to protect the ecosystems that live in and around our beaches. There are many active development groups and associations that would be happy to work with the Minister of State in that regard. Our beaches are critical to all our lives. The Minister of State and I know how much we love our coastal communities but the fear of coastal erosion, particularly because of climate change, is causing significant problems. I ask him to prioritise that matter.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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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.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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We are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, one which threatens ecosystems, food security and our way of life. The facts are stark. Ireland ranks as one of the worst countries in Europe for biodiversity loss. More than 30% of our bee species are at risk of extinction. Wetlands, which are vital for carbon storage and flood prevention, have declined by 90% in the past century. Despite these alarming facts, the Government’s response has been weak, delayed and fundamentally inadequate. The reality is that biodiversity loss is not just an environmental issue; it is a threat to our food security, our water quality and our resilience against climate disasters. When habitats are destroyed, we undermine the very systems that sustain life. The Government’s failure to act with urgency is nothing short of negligence in my opinion. We have seen a lack of enforcement for existing protections and a planning system that continues to prioritise short-term profit over long-term sustainability. We need a step change in approach. We need strong legal protections and binding biodiversity targets, alongside independent monitoring and real consequences for those who damage ecosystems.

In respect of the marine protected areas Bill, the latest response I have received is that it is at an advanced stage of drafting. We need that legislation. We are too long waiting for it.

This Government must increase investment in large-scale restoration projects such as rewilding native woodlands, rehabilitating peatlands and creating wildlife corridors. This is just not about conservation; it is also about rebuilding what has been lost and connecting people with nature. I recently met with the park rangers at the new Brú na Bóinne national park, something I have talked about with the Minister of State. I ask him to please keep supporting and advancing that project. The park rangers spoke about the development of the boardwalk at Girley Bog outside Kells, with which I am very familiar. They were involved in that development. When it was originally proposed, some people questioned who would want to go to a boardwalk in a bog. In fact, it is hugely popular. Build it and they will come. People want to connect with nature now more than ever. People need to connect with nature. The Minister of State should grasp that opportunity with both hands. As part of this, education must be a priority in order to empower communities to become educated around methods of promoting biodiversity and engaging in a sustainable lifestyles. Incentives to empower communities and other funding measures must be implemented to support people in their efforts. I wish the Minister of State well in his role. He will know better than anyone that we have a lot of work to do.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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I welcome the Minister of State’s enthusiasm and fine words. The question is whether we are going to get the action to go with it. I raise a concrete case with him today and seek action on it. It is an issue where the State is not only failing to do enough to protect biodiversity, but is actually destroying it. The issue relates to the ongoing slaughter of badgers by the Department of agriculture. The Minister of State will have seen “The Journal Investigates” report in which it states that the Department has killed more than 66,000 badgers in the past ten years. The way the badgers are killed is horrific. They are trapped in snares leading to internal organ damage, ruptured bladders and even disembowelment. This includes pregnant and lactating badgers, leaving their cubs to starve to death. Other wild animals, including more than 4,000 foxes in the past ten years, also get trapped in the snares. Ireland is the only country in Europe committed to the large-scale, Government-licensed slaughter of badgers. The snaring of badgers is banned in Scotland and Wales. According to opinion polls, in excess of two thirds of people in Ireland want it banned as well. England has promised to phase out killing badgers and replace it with a vaccination programme following scientific research that found that all the slaughter had no significant impact on bovine tuberculosis incidents in cattle. Fifteen years of research by the Department of agriculture in Ireland also found that vaccination is no less effective than culling. The real cause of the bovine tuberculosis epidemic is not badgers-----

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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I have another minute.

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Excuse me. The Deputy is right.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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These beautiful and innocent badgers are being made a scapegoat for industrial farming practices where dairy herd sizes have ballooned. With bigger herds and more intensive farming comes more disease. The Department of agriculture admits that killing badgers is not sustainable in the long term due to its ultimate impact on badger ecology. It knows it does not work to control bovine tuberculosis. Why on earth did it then slaughter more than 7,000 badgers last year, which was the highest number in a decade? Will the Minister of State commit today to end the irrational, State-sanctioned cruelty and biodiversity destruction?

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I wish the Minister of State the best. I welcome his passion today and his invitation to all of us to go out into the country. There is a lot more than that to be done, however. He knows that more than anyone. If we go back, we declared biodiversity a climate emergency back in May 2019. The Minister at the time, Josepha Madigan, said that, “We are losing biodiversity around the globe at a rate unprecedented in human history”. She said that on 29 May 2019. The former Minister of State from the Green Party and current Senator, Malcolm Noonan, said, “The biodiversity emergency is among our greatest challenges, if not the greatest”. I pay tribute to the former Minister of State because he took a hands-on approach with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and we now have extra parks as a result.

We are in an emergency. The elephant in the room is the continued wars in which we are complicit. I do not know how we can talk about climate change with any honesty or sincerity while we allow wars to continue every day.

It is obviously the elephant in the room for biodiversity. Then we look at the EPA. It is never mentioned that ongoing wars are totally incompatible with changes in climate. The EPA's state of the environment report is the eighth such report since 1996. It states:

... the scale of improvements that are being made ... is insufficient ... [...] In all cases, the outlook is not positive with substantial challenges to deliver [not just] on climate, air ... [but on the economy as well].

Elsewhere, it states:

This report shows that serious deficits remain in Ireland’s implementation of environmental legislation such as the Urban Waste Water Directive, Water Framework Directive ... [and so on] [...] There are currently nine Court of Justice of the European Union cases and 16 infringements open against Ireland for failures in implementing EU environmental legislation.

That is just a tiny taste in two minutes and 30 seconds, so maybe in his closing speech the Minister of State will direct himself to what the Government is doing about this crisis.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I wish the Minister of State the very best of luck with his new role. For the first time in the history of the State, nature was prioritised at government level thanks to the leadership of the Green Party during our time in government. We restructured and significantly increased funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, developed a new national biodiversity action plan as a roadmap to reverse nature loss by 2030, created two new national parks at Dowth in County Meath and Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara in County Kerry, worked with the Department of agriculture to reward farmers who are improving their biodiversity and funded reintroduction programmes for corncrakes, the natterjack toad and curlews. These policies are having a major difference.

Last summer I had the opportunity to visit Eamon Sheehan’s derogation dairy farm in Kilkenny. That farm has abundant ponds, dense hedgerows, dung beetles recycling nutrients and a wide variety of bird and insect life. If we can provide space for nature on a busy dairy farm, we can do it everywhere. We can have productive agriculture, biodiversity and clean water as well. With the passage of the EU’s Nature Restoration Law we face a real opportunity to restore nature at scale across our island, but that plan needs funding. The Green Party called for a dedicated climate and nature fund. Where is that money? When will it be spent?

At EU level, the multiannual financial framework has earmarked €1.2 billion for climate and biodiversity. However, the soundings from Brussels are not good. There is a real risk this fund could be raided to ramp up spending for defence. Do we want that money in the hands of arms companies or should we distribute it fairly to farmers so they can help to restore nature? The Europe I want to see has more bees and fewer bombs. This National Biodiversity Week, let us remind ourselves that nature is not just in remote wilderness areas but also in our city streets, our parks and even in our back gardens. It needs the new Government to continue the momentum and it needs the new Government to continue the funding to secure it for future generations.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The belief that zoos are necessary to preserve rare animals and biodiversity is the only justification for maintaining them. Why would we think it is okay for some animals to suffer to maintain biodiversity? In any case, it is not true because zoos do not lead to that. I have heard the Minister of State's great credentials. I am asking him to be the first Minister of State to look into Dublin Zoo. I have spoken to a number of former workers who are whistleblowers and are very concerned about animal welfare there, as well as other issues like work practices and sexual harassment as well. However, I am especially focusing on animal welfare here.

Take the elephants for example. Dina, who is much-lauded, had her sister split up from her and other offspring taken away despite matriarchy and family being so important to elephants. This is not on. There is also the climate we have in Dublin Zoo. The size of the enclosure, at less than 1 ha, is absolutely cruel and barbaric. There is also an elephant consultant who is a dogfighter. Does the Minister of State think that is okay, in Dublin Zoo?

I have been told that the chimps are obese. They are agoraphobic because they have been locked up for so long. They have no stimulation. They are on a cocktail of medication for depression and schizophrenia. They have had teeth taken out and they have been castrated. There is one orangutan left and the current orangutan had three offspring that she rejected because these are such unnatural conditions for any animal to be in.

I do not have time to go into all the issues, but the NPWS is meant to investigate Dublin Zoo. It is within the Minister of State's brief. The service does not have the necessary independence because it is very close to the management of the zoo. It does not have the zoological expertise on wild animals. I have a report that was done 30 years ago. I am asking the Minister of State to do an independent investigation into Dublin Zoo and these issues.

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I understand the Minister of State, who has special responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity, has particular interests and b'fhéidir grá, even, for biodiversity. As Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy I really hope we can work together to ensure our habitats can be protected and the tools and mechanisms that delivered those protections for them can be strengthened.

This week provides us with a unique opportunity to appreciate all aspects of nature around our areas. I am aware of a few events taking place in Dublin Bay North this week, including a tree walk and talk through St. Anne’s Park in Clontarf and an ecological field trip to Bull Island. In 1981 UNESCO recognised the importance of the bay by designating North Bull Island as a biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development UNESCO’s concept of a biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but areas proximate to those areas and the communities that live and work within those areas. There have since been additional international and national designations covering a lot of Dublin Bay, parts of St. Anne’s Park and other areas to ensure the protection of the bay’s water quality and biodiversity.

I was a member of Dublin City Council for 20 years. The Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025 highlights the importance of biodiversity as a key indicator within the city’s ecosystem. During Covid people’s awareness and appreciation of biodiversity also went up a lot, especially as they were spending a lot of time outside. The National Biodiversity Data Centre reported a 60% increase in voluntary records being submitted compared with the same period in previous years as people got more involved during the lockdown. I chaired the environment SPC on the council and one of the policy actions we took was to move the city council away from the general use of glyphosate, also known as Roundup. This did not receive universal acclaim from residents but it was definitely the right thing to do. We have seen more and more ground-up initiatives take hold that are helping with biodiversity. They are coming up from the community, which is great to see. There is no-mow May, pollinator-friendly areas and community groups like Raheny Tidy Village group launching its own Raheny biodiversity action plan only a few weeks ago.

I do not know much about the National Biodiversity Data Centre. I understand that the Minister of State’s predecessor Senator Noonan was very involved in putting it on a solid footing. I was just looking at the data it has and it is fantastic. Long may the centre continue because the more data we can collect accurately, the better the policy decisions we can make. I only know the ground-level stuff. I have a lot to learn about what can be done through the national frameworks to protect and enhance nature and biodiversity. I look forward to learning all that in the term of this Dáil.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an-suim ag an Aire Stáit san ábhar seo. Everyone has recognised it is an issue the Minister of State has great interest in. There is a need for him to have a great interest in it because we are not exactly where we need to be. In 2019 a biodiversity emergency was declared in this State and across this island, so it is an absolute necessity that we follow up on what needs to be done. We have a huge crisis, with significant declines in many species and habitats. There has been a 40% drop in the number of watering birds since the late 1990s. This includes mallard ducks, which are one of our most familiar water birds. Kestrel numbers have dropped by an estimated 45% and 23 of Ireland's 24 species of nesting seabirds are listed in the red or amber categories as birds of conservation concern.

Some 63% of Irish bird species are on a list of concern, with 30% on the amber list and 26% on the red list. Some 18% of the native Irish butterfly fauna is under threat of extinction and a further 15% is near threatened. Over 56% of Ireland's native plant species are in decline, with native grasslands suffering the most. Less than half our marine environments can be described as healthy and water quality needs to be dealt with also. We could spend a long time dealing with water quality and that would also relate to our treatment infrastructure, but that is for another day. We know the significant connection between climate change and biodiversity. Many of us have spoken here on the possibility for Ireland to be a wind energy superpower. We keep talking about it but the State has not done the necessary legwork to deliver it. I agree with Deputy Connolly and many others that no matter how vital the work we do is - a lot more needs to be done by this State - in an age when we are surrounded by war and profit-making by those who make armaments, it is very difficult to see how we can get to where we need to be. I suppose we deal with those parts that we can have an impact on.

I welcome the work being done in my local area, such as the community garden in Muirhevnamore which shares a space with men's sheds. It is a community facility that we hope will be able to get funding from the community recognition fund. They are allotments in the middle of a built-up estate in Dundalk. It is absolutely spectacular and we need to see more of that. I would hope there would be support for it but we need to get control of all those pieces in respect of climate change and biodiversity.

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)
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I welcome biodiversity but I also welcome biodiversity in the right areas and places. I also welcome safety on roads. On biodiversity, the laws that have been passed in this country never took into account people travelling. This is where I have a major issue with some of the laws on wildlife and biodiversity: as regards safety of lives. Roads where two vehicles could once travel are now closing in because of laws made by the local authorities. When they go to do a road, they cut 2 m high and 1 m in. They close the road and do not allow for buses, trucks or people walking who cannot step in when there is a vehicle coming. We need joined-up thinking on biodiversity so we can also have road safety. Now we have vehicles travelling in the middle of the road. They cannot travel on the side because of all the hedgerows growing in together. I would like to see laws introduced in the case of health and safety. All local and regional roads where I live need a 1 m setback and hedges to be cut up straight. There are trees that are a danger to people travelling, walking and living on the road because ash dieback has set into them and they are rotting in the middle. I want to see them taken out for the safety of human life. I welcome biodiversity but I also welcome the health and safety of people travelling on our roads.

If you have wildlife, they should be all off the roadways so you can actually see them. If you want to get into the parks or go across the fields to see them, yes. We need to make sure people can travel the road safety, whether they are cycling, walking, driving, taking their dog for a walk or just going out for leisure. You need to be able to make sure you can step in. You need to be able to make sure that you are not encouraging vehicles to drive in the middle of the road. Let there be biodiversity, wildlife and everything - fantastic - but we must also protect the people who are protecting the wildlife: our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers. Let them travel safely to school, to work, to our front-line services and to our carers. They have to be able to travel the roads safely. We must also respect the biodiversity and wildlife in this country.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Making statements on biodiversity in Ireland is a bit like that time when Ghandi was asked about western civilisation and he retorted: "I think it would be a good idea." Biodiversity in Ireland would be a good idea if we followed through. I welcome the €2.9 million funding announcement to local authorities for biodiversity projects under the National Parks and Wildlife Service local biodiversity action fund 2025. There has been great work done in my own local authority area of south Dublin, for example. We planted a pocket forest a few months ago which, much to the dismay of Lucan Tidy Towns and all the volunteers, myself included, after hours of diligent work, has now been torn to shreds and cut down for a cycle path because South Dublin County Council did not communicate internally - bureaucratic ineptitude at its finest. Someone needs to be called out. On the whole there have been some good projects, including other pocket forests and the Dublin Urban Rivers LIFE project. When all these are taken together on a national level, if colleagues will pardon the pun, unfortunately it is a drop in our dying ocean.

Social Justice Ireland estimates that 56% of native plant species have declined in range and abundance, with grassland plants suffering the most. Some 85% of EU protected habitats in Ireland are in an unfavourable state and 46% are showing ongoing declines. Yes, biodiversity would be a good idea. This week we heard the news that Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford is experiencing severe pollution, primarily due to excessive nutrient run-off from agricultural activities. This has resulted in harmful algal blooms, fish kills and a general degradation of the lake's ecosystem. The lake is a special protection area and a special area of conservation. It is struggling to recover from the negative impact of ongoing nutrient overenrichment. This is just one example on the island of Ireland. We have the dead lake, Lough Neagh, in the North. Dying and endangered lakes in the South include Lough Corrib, Lough Mask, Lough Carra, Lough Sheelin, Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Cullaun, Lough Arrow, Ballycuirke Lough, Ballyeighter Lough, Lough Bane and Bleach Lough, as referenced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. What all these lakes have in common is agricultural run-off - basically, animal excrement - spread excessively over land that is leaching into our waterways and causing havoc. In Ireland, agricultural practices negatively impact over 70% of our habitats. We can talk all we want about our commitment to biodiversity and point to the nitrates action programme and good agricultural practices regulations that aim to limit fertiliser application, but the fact is that we still seek derogations on the nitrates directive. Make me ecologically chaste, O Lord, but not yet.

Yes, biodiversity would be a good idea. We are a bunch of hypocrites, basically because we want to flog more beef and dairy abroad at a time when we should be encouraging the reduction of animal agriculture to reduce greenhouse emissions. That is before we even touch animal welfare issues. We will not be anywhere near meeting the EU organic food targets, even those these sectors pay a premium. We should be promoting organic food as the norm, including subsidising it where it does not meet affordability thresholds, and encouraging a major reduction in meat and dairy consumption. Why are we not setting an example? As an aside, it is a pity that there is not more vegan and vegetarian food in the Dáil restaurant for all the staff. I must say they do a lovely vegan breakfast, albeit a fry-up. Maybe the Minister of State should try it sometime and promote meat reduction for climate and biodiversity enhancement, as opposed to pandering to lobby groups that do not have a leg to stand on, let alone four legs.

We need to give much more support to our small farmers especially, and to farming communities, in diversifying. We need to provide them with real incomes and real potential from enhancing our environment, planting renewable Irish forests and engaging in diversification as custodians of our environment. They have been doing a great job over many centuries but we have an issue with water leaching. They are not going to change the habits of generations without support and encouragement. Rural communities could thrive once again and our rivers and lakes could be clean, but the Government needs to make it happen rather than stand in the way.

As well as spreading nitrates, we have overgrazing, undergrazing, unsustainable peat extraction, although I love the smell of a turf fire as much as anyone else, the introduction of invasive species and overfishing. Let us be balanced, though. Residential and industrial development also plays its part. Its impact on climate change affects biodiversity. Building on flood plains has a knock-on effect. Air and water pollution from these sources destroys our ecosystem and needs to be tackled.

We have this big, national biodiversity action plan that does not look like it is going to meet its targets. I have read through it. It has a puffin on the front cover. BirdWatch Ireland reported a 28% decline in Ireland's puffin population since the turn of this century alone, making it a red listed bird of conservation concern. We need to take biodiversity seriously, but we do not. We pay lip service. We pat ourselves on the back for the many laudable micro-projects, which I praise. I am not saying nothing has been done but not enough has been done because in terms of the big picture, we consistently fail to take action. Yes, biodiversity would be a good idea.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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As we conclude this important discussion, I express my sincere thanks for the opportunity to mark National Biodiversity Week in the Dáil and to reaffirm my Department's enduring commitment to the protection and the restoration of Ireland's natural heritage. I acknowledge and thank all Members who contributed, both today and at last week's debate in the Seanad. The quality of debate and the variety of issues raised by Deputies and Senators reflects the growing recognition that biodiversity is not a peripheral issue. In fact, it cannot be.

Biodiversity and its protection is not a nice to have and something we can look at supporting only when it suits us. Such an approach would be both careless and genuinely frustrating for the good work done so far. It would also be dangerous. Biodiversity is essential to our basic well-being, our economy and our responsibility as stewards of this island. The land we walk on and the air we breathe depend on so many factors interplaying. We are so incredibly lucky to have what we have in Ireland around us and it is imperative we do not lose sight of that.

As Minister for housing, I am in conversations every hour of the day about significant building and infrastructure projects but our environmental duties are never far from those discussions at every level. It should be embedded in how we think and how we approach all our work across Government. We actually do not have a choice if we are to set ourselves up for a future where biodiversity thrives. There is very clear and strong cross-party support for preserving and enhancing our environment and I welcome that shared determination.

As we approach the end of National Biodiversity Week, I want to pay tribute to the countless individuals, community groups and organisations who have organised and participated in events right across the country. Their passion and energy is absolutely critical in driving real change on the ground.

In particular, I want to commend the Irish Environmental Network and the National Parks and Wildlife Service on their exceptional co-ordination of this year's programme. The growing engagement speaks for itself. With more than 350 events taking place nationwide, up significantly from 293 in 2024, this reflects our rising awareness and a deepening connection between people and nature. This week's events have helped to shine a light on the everyday places that matter, from protected national parks and nature reserves to hedgerows, riversides and urban green spaces. These are not just habitats; they are homes for wildlife and spaces of meaning and well-being for communities. This stuff really matters.

Each event has highlighted the powerful role that individual and collective action plays in supporting biodiversity. These events encourage the public to discover new things about their local surroundings, to learn and to share knowledge and to experience the riches of biodiversity. Under the programme for Government 2025, the Government has made a clear statement of intent. With record levels of investment in nature and heritage, including €78 million in core funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, this funding supports the protection and restoration of vital habits, the improvement of water quality and the conservation of threatened species. It also strengthens enforcement capacity, enhancing monitoring and research, supports the management of protected areas and enables collaborative, locally-led projects through initiatives like the local biodiversity action fund.

It is a whole-of-society, a whole-of-government approach, and one we are committed to deepening. However, investment alone is not enough. Personal responsibility also matters deeply. As the temperature rises and we enter the summer months, I must echo the call of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to please avoid lighting fires, using disposable barbecues or discarding cigarette butts in parks, woodlands or any areas rich in biodiversity. Even a single spark can cause devastating harm to delicate ecosystems and endanger human lives. It is not good enough and it should not be happening year-on-year. Respecting our wildlife means protecting it, especially during dry spells when it is most vulnerable.

This week is about our nature and our biodiversity, yes, but it is also about the people who care for it. I sincerely thank all of those across Ireland, from volunteers and local authority staff to farmers, educators, researchers and conservationists whose daily efforts often go unrecognised but their impact is so vital. Their work is laying the foundation for a more sustainable, balanced relationship with the natural world. I also want to highlight the role of young people. Through initiatives like the Green-Schools programme and youth biodiversity networks, a new generation of environmental stewards is emerging that is informed, engaged and passionate. We owe it to them to keep moving forward.

Just yesterday in my constituency of Wexford, I was delighted to announce nearly €89,000 in funding for local biodiversity projects through the National Parks and Wildlife Service local biodiversity action fund. This investment will enable communities across the county to take meaningful action to protect unique habitats and species. This is essential work for places across our county and coastline.

I also want to highlight some of the excellent events taking place this week in my county of Wexford. These events include Seashore Explore in Kilmore Quay on 24 May, along with a series of biodiversity walks and talks, and show what is possible when local knowledge, State support and citizen interest all come together. These are the kinds of efforts that make a difference. With just a few days remaining in National Biodiversity Week, I want to encourage everybody to take the opportunity to engage, explore, listen, learn and visit somewhere new. Every step we take to connect with nature strengthens our commitment to its protection. Let this week serve as a powerful reminder - nature is not separate from us; it is part of us. By safeguarding biodiversity we protect not just the environment, but our health, food systems, culture and our future. I thank everyone once again for their contributions.