Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to the Seanad. Rarely have we had an opportunity to have a Minister of State so well matched to his brief. I acknowledge the former Minister of State, Senator Noonan's same passion, commitment, dedication and, indeed, expertise and knowledge.

I welcome the Minister of State's speech, in which he showed his clear commitment to where we were now and where we needed to go. It is quite incredible to think that, in 2020 when Senator Noonan came into the position, there was a budget of €28 million and now it is €78 million. It is thanks to both of them that we have that. Of course, money is needed but it is about more than money, too. It is about appealing to the hearts and minds of those who live in and come and visit Ireland about how we all need to work collectively to protect the biodiversity that we are so lucky to have in this country.

One of the areas I want to focus on - it will be no surprise to Senator Noonan or to the Minister of State - is the Curragh. As the Minister of State will be aware, it was agreed in the programme for Government that a conservation plan for the Curragh would be implemented and as part of that, that there would be a management plan to ensure preservation, with careful consideration in relation to which agency would be best suited to this historic landscape.I think the NPWS would be the one that is best suited. Why does the Curragh of Kildare deserve this? I appeal to the Minister of State to examine the possibility of the Curragh becoming a national park. The State has had to purchase areas to become national parks in the past. In this case, the land is already in the ownership of the State, albeit under the management of the Department of Defence at this point.

The Curragh deserves this status to protect its unique ecological, historical and cultural significance, as well as to ensure its proper management. We have a lot of ongoing threats such as environmental damage and antisocial behaviour. I introduced a Bill to amend the Curragh of Kildare Act to stop illegal encampments. Unfortunately, we see these every year, from Easter through to Hallowe'en. Millions of euro have been spent cleaning up waste, etc. It is beyond time that we had the proper controls in place.

The Curragh is Ireland's largest inland open plain and one of the largest in Europe. It is one of the largest areas with ancient grassland and it is important that we conserve and preserve it. The Curragh has rare flora and fauna and important archaeological sites, such as the Gibbet Rath and Donnelly's Hollow. It is home to the racing industry and to the Army. It is a fabulous area for people to walk and explore. The benefits include that it would involve professional stewardship, which is what we need. It would encourage responsible tourism and community involvement and unlock resources for trails, signage and proper parking. Unfortunately, many cars pull up on the Curragh and they are destroying it.

It is not just about preserving land; it is about honouring Ireland's natural and cultural heritage, as well as ensuring its future legacy. I would welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to Kildare. I know he passes the Curragh on a regular basis. I ask him to stop off. We would be delighted to show him some of the jewels in Kildare's crown.