Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Biodiversity is one of the most important and vital issues that we as a global community can tackle to improve our planet for future generations. From the breakdown of our waste to the pollination of the most delicate flower to the production of all our food sources, our biosystem has the final say on the direction our planet will take. Clever design and thought-out plans around our towns can contribute to biodiversity in a positive way, as opposed to placing token flower beds or the odd tree in parking spaces around town.

Yesterday, I attended the bio-economy forum in Enfield, County Meath, and it was an eye-opener. I picked up this book called Back to the Future with Beo and Raja. It is a very good way of explaining biodiversity to early learners in a fun way. I highly recommend it.

As it is biodiversity week, I acknowledge my father-in-law, Dr. Declan Murray, who is an emeritus associate professor of zoology with the school of biology and environmental science of UCD. Declan researched, and continues to research, the systematic taxonomy, ecology and distribution of chironomid. Did my fellow Senators know that an Irish man - a Meath man, my father-in-law - through his studies discovered multiple new species of chironomid, which are non-biting midges, to the world of science? Who knew that studying flies was going to be so important to biodiversity in Ireland?

Chironomids are often used to determine the health of streams because of the diversity of the different water cultures they can tolerate. They play important roles in aquatic ecosystems, biomonitoring and conservation due to their ecological diversity. In fact, on many a holiday with my father-in-law, he has come along with his little bag and his net, and has discovered new species of fly to the world in places like Portugal and Lanzarote.So, as part of biodiversity week, I would like to acknowledge my father-in-law, Dr. Declan Murray, who at a ripe old age - let us just say that he is in his 80s - continues to play a pivotal and vital role in biodiversity in Ireland.