Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the actions which have been taken towards the establishment of a biological records centre, which has been identified as being essential for the effective management and protection of Ireland's biodiversity. [9577/06]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The establishment of an Irish biological records centre was pledged in the national biodiversity plan. The Heritage Council is now undertaking this project.

The council has entered into an agreement with Waterford Institute of Technology to locate the centre on campus and a premises is being fitted out there for the purpose. The Heritage Council will, before the summer, be tendering for the provision of services in the centre to run a biological records centre that will meet Ireland's requirements as determined by the scientific community who will use it.

A management group, on which my Department is represented, was established last year by the Heritage Council to bring the project forward. This management group is carrying out extensive consultations with the scientific community, including both professional and voluntary biological recording experts, and has made substantial progress in identifying existing databases of recent and historical biological records. My Department is grant assisting the council in relation to the capital and current resources required for the establishment and operation of the centre.