Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is about biodiversity and natural value. As Senator Ó Céidigh said, the people who live around the bogs recognise their value. Regarding suggestions of using bogs for golf courses, sporting fields or greenways, we have to take into account the greater community and the greater value in a cultural and environmental sense.

The term “strategic infrastructural projects” is wide open. What does that mean? Will those behind the amendment take a look at it again and break it down into a proposal we could support? As it stands, it is wide open in terms of destruction of the habitat. A strategic infrastructural project could be an airport. It is too broad.

This amendment is potentially negative on a range of levels. Accordingly, I will not support it. If it is accepted, I will also seek to amend it on Report Stage.