As Ireland’s first Minister for Nature, I have led a transformative agenda for the natural world over the last four and a half years. Leading a root and branch review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, I oversaw the renewal of the organisation, increasing its budget by 170% and almost doubling its staffing levels. Working with the NPWS I also created the first new National Parks in Ireland for 25 years - Brú na Bóinne and Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí - and invested heavily in projects to save much-loved Irish species like the Hen Harrier, Curlew, Corncrake and Natterjack toad, pictured, from extinction, and to re-introduce iconic species like White-tailed Eagles and Ospreys to Irish skies.
As someone who volunteered for many years with local nature-restoration initiatives, I also recognise the importance of empowering communities to take action for nature at a local level, funding a biodiversity officer for every local authority to ensure that national and regional policies inform local action. Through this programme, I delivered biodiversity officers for Carlow and Kilkenny, and through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund, we funded projects across both counties, including river restoration projects, otter and hedgehog surveys, the creation of pond habitats, the control of invasive species and the recording of the Irish mayfly to establish their conservation status.
On the international stage I took a leadership role in Europe to pass the Nature Restoration Law - a vital piece of legislation that will benefit nature, support farmers and fishers, improve water quality, alleviate floods, and increase green spaces in our towns and cities. In 2023, the Green Party established the unprecedented €3.15 billion Climate & Nature Fund to help implement the new law. My Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has already put in place a participative process to engage with communities, farmers, fishers, foresters, urban planners and businesses and use their views and expertise to inform Ireland's new Nature Restoration Plan. This will commence in the new year.
I increased protected areas in our seas from 2.4% to almost 10% and launched a new national Water Action Plan in September in Thomastown. This plan puts communities at the heart of the action, empowering local groups and citizen scientists to play an important role in improving water quality in Ireland’s rivers, lakes and estuaries. With coordinated implementation through a new Programme Delivery Office, along with more than 60 new enforcement staff, accountability will be key, and the plan will also see continued investment in wastewater infrastructure to reduce impacts on water quality and the removal of river barriers to help migrating species like salmon, eels and lamprey.
In my time as Minister, I also initiated the Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss – a world first – and the recommendations and calls to action that emerged will shape Ireland’s approach to biodiversity for a generation. As the Greens’ General Election manifesto ‘Towards 2030, a Decade of Change: Vol II’ points out, a generational perspective is needed. The Greens have done a lot for nature in our four and a half years in office – this almost certainly wouldn’t have been achieved by any other party. We need to take a long-term view to restore degraded ecosystems at scale and protect our wildlife and natural resources for generations to come. That is why I’m seeking another five years to complete the vision we set out in 2020. I promise to work collaboratively with my colleagues and local farmers, fishers and foresters to promote and incentivise high nature value land management and restore nature, together.
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