Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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132. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position as of July 2025 on the Programme for Government commitment to prioritise urban greening of the existing built environment in cities, towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39958/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government remains committed to prioritising urban greening of the existing built environment in our cities, towns and villages. Our goals with regard to maintaining and developing urban green spaces are broadly aligned with our obligations under European Union regulations; specifically, the Nature Restoration Regulation.

The Nature Restoration Regulation, often referred to as the Nature Restoration Law, is a binding legal act requiring EU Member States to restore degraded ecosystems. Entered into force in August 2024, it establishes binding EU-wide targets to restore 20% of land and sea areas by 2030, and all degraded ecosystems by 2050. Article 8 of the Regulation specifically addresses urban ecosystems. Under this article, Member States must secure no net loss of urban green space and tree canopy between 2024 and 2030, and achieve an increasing trend in both metrics every year after 2030 until satisfactory ecological standards are met.

By law, Member States must draft and submit National Restoration Plans by September 2026, outlining a baseline assessment of ecosystem conditions, and detailing how they will meet the Regulation’s ecosystem restoration targets. Under Article 8, urban ecosystem boundaries, baselines and target levels will be defined in this plan.

Work has already begun towards drafting Ireland’s National Restoration Plan. An Interdepartmental Working Group has been established, tasked with coordinating policy integration, technical planning, and cross sectoral implementation. The group meets on a regular basis, most recently in May this year. With regard to Article 8, work at present is primarily focused on completing the baseline assessment of Ireland’s urban green space and tree canopy conditions. This assessment will inform the establishment of quantified targets and indicators, as well as the aforementioned “satisfactory levels” to be achieved over time. The preparation of the National Restoration Plan will provide a new policy basis for urban greening in line with Nature Restoration Regulation targets.