John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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279. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide details on plans for nature rewilding; the details of State-funded projects between 2020 and 2023 and to date in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23736/24]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Ireland's 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2023-2030 was published in January 2024. Taking an ‘all-of-government, all-of-society’ approach, the NBAP aims to meet urgent conservation and restoration objectives across Ireland’s terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems and secure nature’s contributions to people, while enhancing the evidence base for action and strengthening Ireland’s efforts on international initiatives.

The NBAP is underpinned by a number of actions to restore nature in Ireland by a broad range of stakeholders. Nature restoration actions relevant to the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department include commitments to enhance the network of National Parks and Nature Reserves, implement conservation measures to contribute towards achieving favourable conservation status nationally in Natura 2000 sites, and develop and publish a National Nature Restoration Plan by 2026 in order to contribute to the ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy and Global Biodiversity Framework.

A number of existing programmes also support nature restoration objectives through engagement with communities. These include the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme, which aims to support and reward farmers and land managers for conserving biodiversity; a €25m Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP) aimed at securing existing breeding wader populations and supporting population recovery through landscape management and policy development; and a number of EU LIFE Projects that work with farmers, landowners, local communities, state agencies and others to protect and restore key habitats and species.

A number of funding streams are available to support biodiversity action at various levels. These include the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF), which was established to assist local authorities in the implementation of actions in support of the NBAP. The LBAF has operated since 2018 and, to date, a total just over €8.6m has been granted to local authorities. The Heritage Council’s County Biodiversity Action Plan funding scheme for Local Authority Biodiversity Officers opened in 2024 and funding of €375,000 was allocated to projects in 20 Local Authorities. NPWS also co-funds the Community Foundation Ireland Biodiversity Fund, which provides grants to community groups undertaking biodiversity initiatives.

From 2026, projects and programmes in support of the NBAP will also be eligible for funding under the €3.15bn Climate and Nature Fund, which was announced in Budget 2024.