Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to use today's Order of Business to ask the Leader to consider allocating time in the Seanad for statements on the report of the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, which was released recently. There were 150 recommendations in the report. The report also rightly highlighted the failure of this State to adequately fund, implement and enforce existing laws and directives. Ireland thrives on our reputation internationally of being clean and green when we know that the reality is anything but. We only have to look at our water quality, our beaches and our rivers. Sixty-three per cent of our bird populations are in decline, while 25% of them are in serious decline. Invasive species in this country are poorly managed and rhododendron and sika deer are destroying what is left of our native woodland. Killarney National Park should be the jewel in the crown of the national parks in this country, but instead rhododendron has been allowed to reinfest acres of native oak woodland, thereby undoing 25 years' work of volunteers, including the work I did with Groundwork, an organisation affiliated to the Irish Wildlife Trust. It is interesting that right next door to Killarney National Park a single individual, Mr. Eoghan Daltun, has proved what can be done when you protect against grazing and tackle invasive species. Mr. Daltun is now recreating the Atlantic rainforest that Ireland once was so fortunate to be covered in, but which is now being neglected.

Also, we see that the Office of Public Works, OPW, believes that the law does not apply to it. In numerous cases which I have highlighted in this House, the OPW has blatantly ignored the law by proceeding with work without applying for bat derogation licences. In the case of Emo Court, it was told to cease and desist and proceeded to carry out the works anyway. Somebody within the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Departments of the Environment, Climate and Communications and Housing, Local Government and Heritage decided not to prosecute even though we had a report from the ranger recommending prosecution in that case. It is timely that we debate the biodiversity crisis that we have in this country and those 150 recommendations.