Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Senator Burke raised an interesting idea. When infrastructure is built, there is an assessment of its negative effect on the environment but there is not often an assessment of the benefits. We have seen surprising benefits to the environment from many infrastructure projects. There is a bird sanctuary in Booterstown in my constituency which was the result of a railway built across the bay 150 years ago. That development trapped some water and a bird sanctuary that was not there before has been the result. Fish are breeding at the base of offshore wind turbines because they are protected because people do not fish near the base. That is also the case at the base of the pillars of the bridge that runs between Denmark and Sweden where there are areas of wildlife sanctuary. Projects can have a net effect on the environment whereby they create habitats. It is sometimes hard to predict beforehand but there is a real question in that regard.

There is a tension when one is trying to deliver an environmental project and at the same time is being delayed by environmental legislation. I am well used to that challenge. I would like to see, as the Senator said, more research into the habitats that can be created and an examination of the net effects.

Senator Higgins's amendment is all about the just transition. Such a transition is vital. In order to get buy-in from the public and in order to be able to carry out climate action, a transition must be, and must be seen to be, fair. The midlands in particular have been hit much worse than the rest of the country. The decision was made to target funding towards those areas. I must give some credit to Deputy Cowen for his work in that area. A large quantity of money has at this stage been directed to those areas, as Senators will acknowledge.

Many of the projects are at an early stage and cannot come soon enough. People want to see the benefits of them faster, which is fair. There are projects in the area of ecotourism, including greenways, boardwalks and so on. There are bog re-wetting and renewable energy projects. I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, about the Mid Shannon Wilderness Park to see if he can carry out an assessment from a biodiversity point of view to see what is going on in that regard. I am in contact with the midlands just transition commissioner and I can ask him what is going on in respect of that project. If the Senator has specific questions about it, she can send me a message. I am happy to investigate and see what is happening. Those are my comments on the contributions of Senators.