Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Dáil amendments Nos. 186 and 187 are technical amendments concerning the recently passed Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023. I will take them together.

As the House will be aware, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 was enacted in July of this year following the restoration of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 from the previous Dáil. It facilitates a reconfiguration of the raised bog network, provides for a biodiversity duty on public sector bodies and places the national biodiversity action plans on a statutory footing.

I indicated to the Dáil during the course of debate on the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 on 5 July this year that further technical changes were required to allow for the titles of Ministers in the Act to be changed. These are required in order that this Act can be fully commenced. Under Oireachtas Standing Orders for restored Bills, these could be accommodated only under legislation introduced at a later date. The amendments of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023, now proposed, deal with these old ministerial titles. The wording for the Minister used in the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 is "the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht". This reflects the historical title of the Minister with responsibility for heritage. However, the title of that Minister has changed since the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 was first introduced and the function for heritage has been transferred to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The amendments passed by the Dáil last month and now proposed for Seanad approval are therefore as follows.

Amendment No. 186 would remove altogether a reference to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government in section 18A(7)(b) of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, as inserted by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023. This deals with the old ministerial title and prevents a scenario whereby the Minister could refer matters to himself or herself.

Amendment No. 187 would change the title of the Minister in section 7 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 from "Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht" to "Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage".

I trust that these technical amendments are acceptable to the House.