Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1320. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the State has adequate lands to deliver on the restoration ambition outlined in the Nature Restoration Law which includes lands profiled under Article 4 and Article 11 of the Nature Restoration Law. [20610/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The EU Nature Restoration Regulation entered into force on 18 August 2024. It sets out a framework for EU Member States to restore nature, with binding targets for a wide range of ecosystems including rivers, forests, oceans, urban and agricultural areas, as well as protected habitats and species throughout the State. Ireland has until 1 September 2026 to draft and submit a draft National Restoration Plan (NRP) to the EU Commission, setting out how Ireland intends to achieve its legally binding targets.

The legal obligation to achieve the targets set out in the Regulation sits with the Member State, not the landowner. Article 11(4) clarifies that the state requirement in respect of rewetting of peatlands does not imply an obligation for farmers of private landowners to rewet their lands, and this is without prejudice to obligations stemming from national law.

However, the Government knows that nature restoration of any kind on land cannot happen without the active participation and consent of landowners, and therefore has stated since the start of the process that landowner participation in all aspects will be voluntary.

In respect of Article 11(4) of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, the rewetting target can be met on state lands. Bord na Móna has committed to rehabilitate 33,000ha of peat extraction sites by 2030, which will satisfy our criteria for rewetting and goes beyond our 2050 target. Such lands are also counted towards total restoration targets and will be supported by additional restoration of state owned lands.

The targets outlined in Article 4 (restoration of terrestrial, coastal and freshwater ecosystems) of the NRL relate to (i) habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive and (ii) habitats used by species listed in all Annexes of the Habitats Directive and all bird species (as per the Birds Directive). However, only habitats and species that are considered to be in less than good condition on a national scale will come into scope for target-setting.

Conservation Status Assessment Data from reporting under Habitats Directive Article 17 is the expected data source for quantification of targets for habitats listed in the Habitats Directive. Article 17 reporting datasets for the 2025 reporting cycle will be delivered later this year.

Multiple factors will need to be considered when determining what areas of habitat are targeted for the implementation of necessary measures to achieve the required targets, including:

- State-owned land, and the habitats that are encompassed by them.

- Programmes of measures already in place/planned for habitats/suites of habitats.

- Habitats that clearly benefit species and cross-cut targets set out in other Articles of the NRL-such as Annex I woodland habitats and the forest ecosystem article (Article 12).

- Habitats where private landowners can be incentivised to implement restoration measures.