John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in welcoming the Minister of State to the House and echo their comments on the hard work and dedication he has applied to the role since taking office last year. I too believe he is a very good fit for the role and heritage is a very good fit for him within the Department. We are trying to ensure that we have all the technicalities in place to allow him to exercise his function as Minister of State with responsibility for heritage to the full extent, which I have no doubt he will do.

Section 15 is appropriate in that it will give power to the Minister to comment on development plans. As my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick, said, 31 of the 33 local authorities are undertaking development plans currently, so it is particularly important to ensure that is in place. The Bill will amend the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and National Habitats) Regulations 2011 and the Broadcasting Act 2009, which is addressed in Part 3.

I appreciate the Minister of State appearing before the House and wish him every success in his role over the term of the Government. I will welcome him to Waterford next month to open the national museum of time. We are very proud of the work that has been done to put that museum together over recent years. He will be more than welcome to cross the River Suir into Waterford, given that he is a next-door neighbour in Kilkenny. He might comment on the possibility of providing biodiversity officers within local authorities to supplement the work of heritage officers. They are often overburdened, particularly in areas that have a rich heritage. We are very lucky, both in my county, Waterford, and nationally, to have such a rich heritage, both man-made and natural. That might be something the Minister of State could consider.