Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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155. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit have policies in place to install artificial structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species such as, but not limited to, insect hotels, bat boxes, nesting towers and beehives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23856/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to climate action, sustainability and measures to support biodiversity across all our policy areas and in relation to property matters. Biodiversity is mainstreamed across the Irish Aid programme and key measures include our advocacy for sustainable food systems. Ireland played a leading role in the run-up to the September 2021 UN Sustainable Food Systems Summit.

In July 2019 my Department launched its Green Foreign Ministry initiative aimed at mainstreaming and enhancing sustainability right across HQ and Ireland’s diplomatic missions. We are working to achieve recognition nationally and internationally as a foreign ministry with strong green credentials. The Department’s property strategy 2021-2025 also has a core commitment to increasing the sustainability of our buildings across the globe.

The headquarters premises of the Department of Foreign Affairs are provided by the Office of Public Works and we rely on OPW to maintain them. While the Department has no formal policies in place of the type referred-to by the Deputy, with the advice and support of OPW we installed beehives on a trial basis at one of our Dublin city centre premises in 2021. We also intend doing so at the rear of Iveagh House later this year when the garden there is reinstated following essential renovations to the building's roof and front and rear façades. Depending on the success of these trials we will consider what other measures may be put in place at our premises to support and encourage bees and other wildlife.

There are no public bodies or agencies under the remit of my Department.