Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Higgins for her significant work on the amendment. It comprises, as she said, four subsets of ideas, all of which are reasonable. Her argument is strong, good, robust and well founded and I am impressed by how she condensed her points in her contribution. It resonates with me because the Irish Environmental Network made similar points and highlighted these issues. I acknowledge that body for its close work with environmentalists in all parties and none. Some people think they are advocates for organic farming only or other specific issues, but most of us are advocates for sustainable development, sustainable farming, respect for biodiversity and so on. I am certainly one of them, and all my colleagues on this side of the House have firm records in respect of these matters.

Senator Higgins spoke about the environmental impact assessment or other appropriate assessment and the impacts thereof, and the measures to protect the existing biodiversity and ecosystems. We are legislators and, as we are told time and again, this is the Upper House. We have the power to amend legislation and polish it up. Of course, the problem is that there is in place a broad Government involving a tripartite regime, that is, a three-legged stool in the form of the coalition of the Green Party, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Most Senators come to the House with a script they read into the record and, therefore, there is no leeway for real engagement and debate, although that might be different in the case of the Minister during this debate, as I hope it will be. The amendment is logical, referring to the environmental impact assessment or other appropriate assessment, criteria in respect of woodlands and measures to protect the existing biodiversity and ecosystems. How could the Minister, or anyone in this House, not agree with that? It is worthy of support.

I acknowledge the NGOs in the environmental sector, which daily grow more disillusioned by the political system because the people they helped to elect and thought were representing them do not seem to be doing so any more. They have left them behind, whether for expediency or whatever other purpose, but that is another day's work. I am constantly reminded by those NGOs, as are other people, of their involvement in and concerns about this area. The amendment resonates very much with what they and others have championed.

I thank Senator Higgins for taking a lead on this and for tabling the amendment, in respect of which she has my full support. I hope the Minister will in some way address those key issues, even if he cannot accept the amendment. He might give us some reassurance in respect of his commitment and that of his Department to this area.