Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress which has been made to date on each of the 13 initiatives announced in November concerning the national biodiversity plan. [9576/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Significant progress has been achieved on the 13 initiatives, which I announced in November, to support the ongoing implementation of the national biodiversity plan. This progress is indicated as follows. A dedicated biodiversity unit has been put in place in my Department. A biodiversity fund of €1 million, spread over the years 2006-07, has also been put in place and has been advertised nationally by the Heritage Council which is administering the fund. I understand from the council that over 100 applications were received for the current year and that these applications are currently being evaluated.

The membership of the biodiversity forum, established as a standing committee of Comhar, the national sustainable development partnership, is being finalised. It is envisaged that the forum will hold its first meeting in April 2006. Agreement has been reached with the Waterford Institute of Technology concerning the location of the biological records centre on its campus. The centre will operate under the aegis of the Heritage Council, which will be issuing a tender shortly for the provision of services.

The national platform for biodiversity research has finalised its proposals for a biodiversity knowledge programme for Ireland. I understand that the programme is in final draft stage. When completed, I will be asking the interdepartmental steering group, which oversees implementation of the plan, to explore means by which this knowledge programme can be implemented from the existing science budgets within the State.

The biodiversity unit of my Department will be developing terms of reference for research on the social and economic benefits of biodiversity and a request for tenders for this research will issue in the first half of 2006. The development of species action plans for the Irish hare, the pollan, the corncrake and the Irish lady's tresses orchid has commenced.

The text of a biodiversity undertaking, covering the biodiversity-friendly management of buildings and lands, has been agreed by the interdepartmental group and is being issued to all Departments. Guidelines on the production of local biodiversity action plans have been prepared for issue to local authorities. The biodiversity unit of my Department is developing proposals for a public awareness campaign to be launched this year.

The EU recently completed a consultation process on its forthcoming communication and road map on the EU biodiversity strategy. At the Council of Environment Ministers later this week, I will be pressing my colleagues to ensure that the forthcoming communication will take account of the Malahide message.

My Department is developing a strategy for the phased conversion of its 160-strong fleet of vehicles to biofuel consumption over the next two years. The engineering division of the Office of Public Works is advising my Department on this project.