Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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260. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline his responsibilities as they relate to biodiversity and nature restoration; to report on where this is detailed in his Ministerial brief; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19322/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Primary responsibility for biodiversity and nature restoration policy falls under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and with the Minister of State responsible for the National Park and Wildlife Service (NPWS). My officials work closely with NPWS and other Government Departments on biodiversity-related issues.

In May 2019 the Oireachtas voted on and declared both a National Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. Since then, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 has been enacted, and a series of Carbon Budgets introduced. These are being delivered through Climate Action Plans (CAP), the latest of which, CAP 25 was published this month. In terms of biodiversity there has been a Citizens’ Assembly examining how the State can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss. In 2024, the EU, with Ireland’s support, passed the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). This has the intent of reversing biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems across the EU.

The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was launched in January 2024 and it sets the national biodiversity agenda for the period 2023-2030, delivering the transformative changes required to the ways in which we value and protect nature. My Department was engaged in development of the NBAP plan through its participation in a series of interdepartmental working groups. In relation to the NRL, the NPWS is currently developing a National Restoration Plan and again my Department is closely engaged in the process through the relevant working groups.

Bord na Móna, which comes under the aegis of my Department, has rehabilitated through its Enhanced Decommissioning, Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) just over 20,000 ha of Ireland’s exploited and degraded peatlands, not only reducing GHG emissions as part of climate action, but also delivering biodiversity, and water quality and retention co-benefits.