Malcolm Noonan
Agricultural Panel · Green Party · Ireland
“Before I invite Senator Stephenson back in, I welcome members of the Young Entrepreneurs Club to the Gallery. They are guests of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Cuirim fáilte romhaibh go léir.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I again commend Senator Black, who has been campaigning on this issue for a very long time. It is disappointing that we are here this evening without services included despite the very detailed recommendations of the Oireachtas joint committee, the views of many legal experts and the clear legal opinion of the…”
“I am surprised that the Government is presenting us with a Bill that excludes services. The Government used to tell us that it was for legal reasons.”
“In fairness, it has become even clearer from the remarks made by the Government in recent days that fear of the Trump Administration is driving the decision, with illogical arguments that the Trump Administration might just tolerate a Bill that bans goods but if were to bring forward a Bill that covered goods and services, it would someho…”
“I join with my colleagues in our outright condemnation of this approach by the Government in relation to this legislation. The Government is going to be the lead negotiator on behalf of the European Union at both the climate Conference of the Parties, COP, and the biodiversity COP later this year.”
“The rural housing policy was launched last week. We have had the closure of the public consultation on the nature restoration plan. Lo and behold, the long-awaited phase 2 of the land-use review was published two days after both of those policies. This document has huge implications for land use in Ireland.”
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“Before I invite Senator Stephenson back in, I welcome members of the Young Entrepreneurs Club to the Gallery. They are guests of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. Cuirim fáilte romhaibh go léir. We have a note here about no homework, but I want to allow that voucher to be carried forward to September, if that is okay, because it will still be relevant then.”
“Instead, we have a half-hearted attempt at holding Israel to account and history will not judge Europe kindly for our collective inaction on Gaza, the ongoing destruction of Palestine and the two state-solution.”
“In fairness, it has become even clearer from the remarks made by the Government in recent days that fear of the Trump Administration is driving the decision, with illogical arguments that the Trump Administration might just tolerate a Bill that bans goods but if were to bring forward a Bill that covered goods and services, it would somehow be a step too far. The ongoing genocide in Gaza, the annexation of the Palestinians in the West Bank and the occupied territories, and the human rights abuses now extending into southern Lebanon, show that Israel is a rogue state under the Netanyahu regime. A strong occupied territories Bill could resonate across Europe, particularly during our EU Presidency.”
“I am surprised that the Government is presenting us with a Bill that excludes services. The Government used to tell us that it was for legal reasons. The argument continuously trotted out was that it was on the basis of the Attorney General's advice and that was despite the fact that the Attorney General's advice from 2024 made it very clear that there was no distinction made between goods and services. Indeed, when we look at the sanctions regime that Ireland signed up to in respect of Russia, it sanctions trade in both goods and services with Russia without any difficulty. If we look at the whole body of European law, there is a detailed body of case law and legislation specifically on the question of services. The issue is not a legal one but a political one.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I again commend Senator Black, who has been campaigning on this issue for a very long time. It is disappointing that we are here this evening without services included despite the very detailed recommendations of the Oireachtas joint committee, the views of many legal experts and the clear legal opinion of the ICJ from July 2024. In that decision, if we recall, the ICJ held that all states were under an obligation "to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings ... and to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations" with the settlements. That is a clear statement. The court was clear that "trade" included goods and services, and even the Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's legal experts, who gave testimony at the Oireachtas committee, accepted that point.”
“There is a five-year timeline on this, and a €900 million cost of construction for the project. There is no doubt that is going to escalate and it will happen with the Shannon pipeline as well. For what? To lock us into fossil fuel infrastructure for data centres into the future, missing our climate targets and denying an opportunity for Ireland to show leadership at a time when it is critical to do so. This is a disgraceful piece of legislation and we will not be supporting it.”
“Instead, it leaves LNG as an open-ended question at a time when we know just how unreliable global supplies of fossil fuels can be. We have heard this from Friends of the Earth. We heard it from Trócaire, which is calling on the Government to have us carry our fair share of the burden. On the issue around security of supply, LNG does not give us security of supply. Our energy supply for this reserve would have to be imported from countries like Qatar and the United States. We have seen the volatility happening there. We have an opportunity here to do something radically different but, unfortunately, the Minister of State has not taken that opportunity. An Coimisiún Pleanála announced yesterday that it is going to delay the decision on the Shannon pipeline until 2 July next year.”
“By allowing an LNG terminal to be exempt from binding commitments of the climate Act, the terminal will not have to comply with national mitigation plans, adaptation frameworks, transition objectives or greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. Without the right guardrails in place in this legislation, we are putting ourselves at risk of creating significant fossil fuel lock-in within our energy system, doubling down on high energy costs for families and homes. Again, this was reiterated at our climate committee. If we are to have a gas reserve, it should entail as small as possible an amount for the shortest possible amount of time, with a clear exit strategy, all underpinned by the mechanisms of the climate Act. That is what it is there for. This Bill does none of that.”
“It was then crammed into a two-week session. Our report was subsequently ignored anyway and none of the recommendations from it were taken on board. If an emergency reserve is actually needed, and that is a really big "If", one of our recommendations was for an updated energy security review which, again, was not followed up on. If we look at how soon this can be ready and how quickly we can electrify our energy system and support interconnection and storage, then it is of critical importance that the reserve is contained strictly within our frameworks for decarbonising our society. To do otherwise creates a situation where we develop a reserve that locks us into further possible fuel use dependence, as well as being past a sell-by date. The reality is quite stark.”
“I join with my colleagues in our outright condemnation of this approach by the Government in relation to this legislation. The Government is going to be the lead negotiator on behalf of the European Union at both the climate Conference of the Parties, COP, and the biodiversity COP later this year. We have zero credibility in asking other member states to step up or in trying to show leadership from a European perspective when we are disapplying our climate Act every time we want to, be it the Critical Infrastructure Act the airport cap Bill or this legislation. What credibility have we got? We have none. We do not have any. We are stepping into the Presidency of European Union with no credibility whatsoever. As has been said by my colleague, our climate committee first of all was denied the opportunity to take pre-legislative scrutiny.”
“I again call for a discussion on that. This specific project is in the planning process, which is fair enough. Separately, the Minister needs to come in here and talk about the real holdups and the real reasons behind infrastructure delays, owing to An Coimisiún Pleanála, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and other resources required to get the State to build the infrastructure needed.”
“They have been sitting on the Minister's desk for well over a year and now with two weeks to go before the end of the Dáil and Seanad schedule, this document has been launched. Uisce Éireann has been mentioned. Yesterday, An Coimisiún Pleanála put back by one year to 2 July 2027 a determination on the Shannon pipeline project. Dublin's water is on a knife edge, particularly at this time of year. A potentially hugely wasteful project that will put the children's hospital in the shade in terms of its cost will now overrun further because of the delays in deliberation. The head of the infrastructure task force has blamed the Green Party for the slow pace of infrastructure delivery and yet Jack Chambers is holding back on giving An Coimisiún Pleanála the resources it needs to make decisions in a timely manner.”
“The rural housing policy was launched last week. We have had the closure of the public consultation on the nature restoration plan. Lo and behold, the long-awaited phase 2 of the land-use review was published two days after both of those policies. This document has huge implications for land use in Ireland. It was launched very quietly and published on the Department's website. There is no time now because it is at the end of the Dáil and Seanad term. I call on the Minister for agriculture, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Minister for the environment or whoever is responsible for this document to be present with us here for a debate on this document in the autumn schedule. It is critical because we are launching policy documents left, right and centre all of which are contingent on this.”
“I wish to raise a number of issues, the first being that of 28-year-old Kilkenny native Emily Felix, who was diagnosed with Friedreich's ataxia at the age of 12. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics has determined that Skyclarys, a drug which could be life-changing for her and the other 200 sufferers of this disease, not be recommended for consideration for reimbursement by the HSE. Again, I ask for reconsideration on that and I call on the Minister to make a statement on it because of the extremely debilitating nature of the condition that Emily and the other 200 sufferers in Ireland have. I think we have heard some rock and roll reference here and I will mention "Montage of Heck", a documentary and compilation album of Nirvana's. We have a bit of a montage of heck in terms of Government policy.”
“We must look at where the opportunities are in terms of long-term viability, where the changes are happening in agriculture in Ireland, the challenges around climate changing weather conditions, the market prices, etc. Women play a key role in that and their role needs to be strengthened. Again, I commend the work the Department is doing and I thank Senator Boyhan for initiating this debate this evening. It has been most valuable.”
“There is also the ability to maintain children in schools and the challenges that they face in terms of labour rights and access to education. I pay tribute to the Irish Aid programme, in particular the work that it does with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in overseas programmes. This evening, it is important that we celebrate women in farming. I commend the Department and the Minister on the commitment put forward in ensuring that there is long-term sustainability and a viable career for women in farming. There are women working in advisory roles in many sectors that support farming such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Teagasc.”
“I support the comments made by Senators, in particular what Senator Brady said about farming in developing countries. I thank Irish Aid and our development organisations such as Trócaire and Concern that do specific on-the-ground work in supporting long-term stability to maintain women in farming roles. I was in Jinotega in Nicaragua a number of years ago and met coffee farmers in the hills. It was amazing to see the women's co-operatives there. The co-operative movement is very strong even though it is a very patriarchal society. Irish Aid uses and deploys Irish aid in a way that is targeted and supports the measures that women can play in farming. I see it time and time again that climate change is becoming an increasing factor.”
“I think also of the farming for nature ambassadors. For example, Margaret Edgill who is an organic beef farmer and works in agri-tourism and food innovation in County Offaly. There is Cheryl Poole and her husband in County Wexford who show how intensive dairying can go hand-in-hand with nature-rich habitats and good water quality. There is Janet Power and Jenny Watkins who have an organic market garden and Senator Boyhan mentioned the role that women play, particularly in market gardening, across the country. Finally, I think of Suzanna Crampton, granddaughter of the great essayist, Hubert Butler. Suzanna, who is a great friend of mine, now has a sheep farm after she inherited the family farm at Maidenhall in Bennettsbridge. We have fantastic conversations about agricology and about soil in particular.”
“Pippa Hackett is back farming and heading up an European Innovation Partnership, EIP, programme. She is a fantastic woman ambassador for women in farming more generally and I want to acknowledge her work. I think of the work of Hannah Quinn-Mulligan, who is a fantastic advocate for women farmers. In my own constituency, there are Gail and Bryan Daniels in County Kilkenny who have a derogation farm - an intensive dairy farm - but do amazing work for water quality, biodiversity and climate. The Minister might have met Gail in his travels as she has the Bó Bar soap range handmade using cow's milk. It is an absolutely fantastic product. Josephine O'Neill is another Kilkenny women and is chair of Macra na Feirme. Alice Doyle is the deputy president of the IFA. Women are breaking glass ceilings in farming all over the country.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire and I thank Senator Boyhan for tabling this motion. I want to mention some women farmers in Ireland. One of the most notable, and formerly of this House, and a former ministerial colleague of the Minister in his Department and former Minister of State, is Pippa Hackett.”
“We cannot use the climate Act any more to say that this is actually going to be beneficial, this is going to take cars off the road, put people onto public transport and reduce our carbon emissions while giving people sustainable transport options. That is what this Bill is doing and we fundamentally object to it.”
“Section 15 of the climate action Act 2021 puts a legal duty on public bodies to perform their functions in a manner consistent with the climate Act. It puts a climate duty on all public bodies. We did this similarly in the last Government with the biodiversity duty under the Wildlife Act, including the National Transport Authority, NTA, An Coimisiún Pleanála, the Minister's own Department of public expenditure, and all of them. Under section 7 of this Bill, when a project is designated as a programme of critical infrastructure, that climate duty no longer applies. It could be the Coolglass wind farm or it could be the Gluas project in Galway. It could be a project that is going to have a negative impact on the environment but in this case the climate Act no longer applies.”
“A narrative has emerged that those who want checks and balances on climate, environment and nature have some sort of a degrowth agenda. Certainly that could not be further from the truth. Section 7 of this Bill represents a fundamental attack on the provision of the climate action Act that was passed in the Dáil in 2021 with the support of 129 Members of the Dáil at that time. Five years later, the Critical Infrastructure Bill means that any proposal that is designated as critical infrastructure will no longer have its climate impact examined, be it good or be it bad. Today the Government is seeking to repeal a central aspect of the climate action Act by the back door. We can just see how this might happen.”
“A similar scheme has been operating in Ontario in Canada and has reduced the incidence of contamination, particularly E. coli, significantly. It would cost about €5.26 million for 162,000 samples per year. This would decline over time. It is critical to have such a scheme. That report is really damning and the situation has not improved over the past ten years. Priority should be given to introducing something like this as a public health measure.”
“I also raise the issue of the septic tank inspection regime which was highlighted by the EPA this morning. The number of inspections is far too low. Some counties have had no inspections at all. The failure rate is alarming, posing a risk to human health and to the aquatic environment. The grant scheme is not fit for purpose. It is currently at €12,000 - I know it has been increased. However, given that the costs have to be paid upfront by the household, they are prohibitive for many families. A scheme involving a bridging loan would be useful. Some 500,000 households have their own domestic waste systems and 137,000 of these have private wells. I call on the Government to introduce free well-water testing as a matter of urgency. This is a public health issue.”
“I join others in extending my sympathy to the family of Yves Sakila and to the Congolese community in Ireland. The capture of the global flotilla by the Israel Defense Forces, IDF, represents a violation of international treaties. I join others in this House in calling on Government to more. The sister of Uachtarán na hÉireann is one of those who has been caught up in this incident. All the while, the Israeli Administration continues to murder children and continues to allow settler violence to perpetrate throughout the West Bank. The Palestinian ambassador has raised concerns to us that Ireland's Presidency of the EU will be used purely to focus on humanitarian aid. However, the Presidency must be used to put further political pressure at a European level on the Israeli Administration. The EU is paralysed in the face of genocide.”
“What would happen if Ireland, probably on a road to Damascus moment, decided to ratify the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, or a rights to nature Bill that could be brought forward and which has been proposed? Would we be taken to investor courts by Exxon, BP or Shell? Trade can be used as a force for good in upholding the rule of law, climate and nature objectives, workers' rights and the rights of indigenous peoples. This arbitration Bill is not going to do that. As has been said, Ireland is not obliged to ratify CETA under the ISDS or ICS clauses in the EU trade agreements. This has been made clear by the EU Court of Justice and our own Supreme Court in the Costello case. Our Cross-Party Group remains resolutely opposed to this legislation.”
“The Cross-Party Group is not opposed to trade. We believe in and know what free trade has done for Ireland from the Lemass era right to the present day. It has to be as much about fair trade as it is about free trade, however. In a small open economy like Ireland's, this geopolitical reality that we are facing today is particularly alarming. We are opposed to this Bill and the measures in it, and the challenges it is going to present in terms of society, workers' rights and the environment. As has been said, it is not just about the agreement specified in the Bill, namely CETA and the EU-Chile agreement. It could be any Bill that a future Minister decides to include in it.”
“We have a good track record in this House for the initiatives we bring forward. They are always very positive, be they motions or Bills. It goes to show what a progressive left alliance can do in the Seanad Chamber.”
“Francis of Assisi, a man who cared deeply for nature and wildlife. He said that we are all sisters and brothers to animals and plants, water and soil, earth and sky. What a great statement from the State it would be if, on St. Francis's anniversary, we were to put resources into the care of our vulnerable wildlife and begin to turn around a terrible legacy of destruction of nature towards a restorative one. I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I recognise that he is not opposing the motion, but I also ask that he actively support it and find the means to put in place a permanent scheme, however that is done, whether in budget 2027 or, as has been suggested by Senator Stephenson, through money ring-fenced from wildlife crime. I again thank my Cross-Party Group for bringing forward this motion.”
“If the Minister of State gets to visit one of the rescue centres during his tenure, he will find people dedicated and passionate about wildlife and caring for wild mammals and birds. I must also reference the comprehensive review of wildlife legislation that I initiated during my time in the Department. Such a review should, I hope, trigger new and more up-to-date legislation across all facets of wildlife and nature governance. It would be really helpful if we could formalise the role of wildlife rehabilitation through enabling legislation. There is a narrow scope in legislation towards licensing for the handling of wildlife but limited recognition of how the needs of the sector have changed and grown over recent years. The year 2026 is the 800th anniversary of the death of St.”
“Yesterday, I attended the UCD earth institute seminar on Ireland’s nature restoration plan. I know that the Minister of State is just back from the National Botanic Gardens, where the recommendations for Ireland's plan were formally received by the Government. I commend Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, the independent advisory committee and everyone who has contributed thus far. One of the key challenges identified among the recommendations is that of bringing everybody with us. The outreach work provided by rescues across the country provides an invaluable asset to these efforts, educating, informing and advising. Most of all, it will give the sector the confidence to provide a professional service and allow such services to grow over time.”
“I attended last year and was hugely impressed at the level of information-sharing, the range of specialist speakers and the collective drive towards excellence in the field of wildlife rehabilitation. It is this level of professionalism that sparked this motion and initiative from our Cross-Party Group here today. It needs to be recognised and valued by the State and the most tangible way of doing this is by putting in place a dedicated multi-annual stream of funding. It will drive excellence over time, improve the handling and treatment of wildlife in the veterinary profession, train more and more people and provide valuable outreach to communities who want to be part of this great collective and collaborative project of restoring nature on land and at sea.”
“Indeed, we see the success of programmes at Cooldross and Boora, where, as the Minister of State mentioned, there is strength in numbers. Where there are more lapwing on a site, that allows them to mob predators and increase survival rates. For now, there is the day to day. The Minister of State has mentioned some of the one-off grants. What I have seen from my few visits to Kildare Wildlife Rescue, as I am sure Laura will bear this out from her visit to Cork, is a service that goes beyond meeting basic requirements of licensing, but excelling at best practice wildlife care. Kildare Wildlife Rescue runs an annual conference on behalf of the network.”
“We might think that wildlife rescues could only ever play only a small part in our efforts to turn the tide of biodiversity loss, but in a country where some species are present in precariously low numbers, every bird rescued, rehabilitated and released where it came from could make all the difference in a breeding season. The Minister of State could be formalising roles for our network of wildlife rehabilitation centres in expanding headstarting programmes for curlew, corncrake and other vulnerable species. In County Monaghan this year, we have seen some success with headstarted curlew now forming breeding pairs. Ramping up such programmes in tandem with landscape-scale nature restoration could give us the critical mass we need to move some species towards viable populations.”
“I thank my Cross-Party Group colleagues. I welcome the Minister of State's response. It behoves all of us, going by what the Cathaoirleach said, to make changes in all our lives to help to minimise our impact on the natural world and become active participants in restoration, because in restoring nature, we are restoring ourselves, our wellbeing, our food security, and our resilience against climate chaos. There remains a deep disconnect between our understanding of what we need to do and our behaviour as consumers, which is really driving species and habitats loss.”
“Our national network of wildlife rehabilitation centres can play an active role in head-starting. I have spoken with KWR about this. It would offer a regional centre for such activities once our national restoration plan is up and running. Overall, wildlife funding through wildlife rehabilitation services supports an integrated model of conservation, public engagement, law enforcement and rural and economic development, making it a high impact investment in both biodiversity and community resilience. I am delighted the Minister of State and the Government are not opposing our motion.”
“Instead, they provide continuous around-the-clock emergency response services 365 days a year, ensuring injured and distressed wildlife can receive immediate care at any time, including nights, weekends and public holidays. We only have to look at Kildare Wildlife Rescue, KWR's, Pearse Stokes's exploits on Instagram to fully appreciate the risks they take to rescue wildlife. Wildlife rehabilitation also generates wider socio-economic benefits. For example, KWR is expected to host over 60 international interns this year. These individuals reside with local host families to contribute economically through local spending and supporting businesses and services within the surrounding area. This demonstrates that investment in wildlife rehabilitation delivers not only environmental benefits, but also tangible community and economic value.”
“As such, wildlife rehabilitators operate on the front line of the biodiversity crisis, providing an essential service in species protection, welfare intervention and conservation outcomes. In addition, rehabilitators play an increasingly important role in the identification reporting of wildlife crime, including illegal persecution, poisoning, trapping and habitat destruction. This intelligence is shared with the NPWS and contributes to enforcement. Their work also extends to providing specialist guidance and support to public veterinary professionals, businesses, Government agencies and local authorities, strengthening cross-sector collaboration in wildlife protection. Importantly, wildlife rehabilitators do not operate on a standard Monday to Friday nine-to-five schedule.”
“A substantial portion of animals admitted to our species of conservation concern, including those listed as amber or red under national conservation frameworks. These include the European hedgehog, barn owl, Eurasian curlew, northern lapwing or an pilibín, our national bird, common swifts, house sparrow, song thrush and many of our bat species. Many of these species are experiencing significant population decline and rehabilitation contributes directly to their survival and potential recovery in the wild. Each individual animal successfully treated and released represents our measurable contribution to population stability, genetic diversity and ecosystem resilience.”
“I also welcome our Cork Minister of State. Táimid i ngéarchéim bhithéagsúlachta. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil jab le déanamh againn uile chun cabhrú leis an dúlra agus leis an bhfiadhúlra nuair is féidir linn. Déanann ár n-ionaid tarrthála fiadhúlra ar fud na hÉireann obair iontach ag cabhrú leis an dúlra agus leis an bhfiadhúlra nuair is féidir linn. Wildlife rehabilitators in Ireland play a vital role in biodiversity conservation and public service delivery. Last year, rehabilitation centres admitted approximately 10,000 birds and mammals to care, responding to injury, illness and human-induced threats. In the same period, they handled around 23,000 inquiries from the public relating to wildlife welfare and conflict situations, demonstrating a significant and growing demand for their services.”
“I move: “That Seanad Éireann: recognises: - the need for the Government to respond to the ‘Whole of Government, Whole of Society’ approach adopted in the fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan and upcoming National Nature Restoration Plan by ensuring that verifiable and proven measures to maintain healthy wildlife populations are given due support; - the threats and pressures facing wildlife in Ireland due to development, loss of habitat, pollution and road collisions; - the valuable work carried out by wildlife rescue centres across Ireland, both for wildlife on land and at sea; - this work is critical to saving and rehabilitating many species of wild birds, bats, cetaceans and mammals and returning them appropriately to the wild following treatment; - that Ireland’s wildlife rehabilitation centres are volunteer led, supported by professional veterinary staff, and use best practice when treating, handling and releasing wild species; - that wildlife rescue centres are reliant largely on voluntary fundraising to fund their day-to-day activities and are experiencing increased levels of activity due to wider environmental pressures and increased public awareness; calls on the Government to: - establish a multi-annual fund to support the work of wildlife rehabilitation centres; the Wildlife Rescue Support Scheme (WRSS) would be established in the Budget using a revenue fund derived from fines imposed for wildlife crime in the courts and Exchequer funding; notes that: - funding would be split between a revenue (ongoing administration) fund and a capital fund to carry out works/improvements to facilities and for the purchase of equipment; - such a fund would be only available to wildlife rescue centres that meet the following mandatory criteria: - Licensing and Regulatory Compliance: - hold a current licence issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS); - have undergone an NPWS site inspection within the past 12 months; - maintain a strict policy of not keeping educational or ambassador wild animals; - commit to reporting any suspected wildlife crime to the appropriate authorities; - Experience, Capacity, and Scope of Care: - be an active wildlife rehabilitator or volunteer for a minimum of three years; - provide a detailed account of the species cared for and the maximum care capacity of the facility; - demonstrate availability of out-of-hours care for wildlife patients; - Governance, Financial Accountability, and Planning: - submit recent financial accounts; - provide a current strategic plan; - supply at least two letters of support from relevant stakeholders; - Record-Keeping, Data Sharing, and Veterinary Support: - maintain detailed electronic records of all wildlife admissions and treatments; - make rehabilitation data available for legitimate research and conservation purposes; - provide a letter of agreement from a registered veterinary practice confirming they provide clinical care and prescribed medication for wildlife patients; - have been visited by a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine veterinarian, or be open to such a visit; - Facilities, Biosecurity, and Site Management: - maintain clear separation between wildlife and domestic animals on site; - maintain a designated isolation area for new or sick wildlife; - implement and maintain strong biosecurity measures to prevent disease transmission; - Policies, Procedures, and Professional Standards: - maintain written policies and procedures covering: - animal care protocols; - euthanasia procedures; - invasive species management; - clinical waste management; - demonstrate continuous professional development on an annual basis; - the following criteria is desirable for wildlife rescue centres: - Education, Outreach, and Conservation Contribution: - provide education and outreach activities related to wildlife rehabilitation; - education and outreach may be delivered either online or in person; requests the Government to: - provide an update on the progression of the WRSS within six months of the motion being passed.””
“I welcome the fact the Minister of State made a commitment to putting the funding in place. As I said, it is a modest scale of funding. This is material that, if it is not diverted for recycling, is going to end up in the big hungry beast out in Poolbeg. It is not just highly recyclable materials but also material that is highly calorific and valuable for incineration. I hope the Government will make this much-needed investment in the sector as soon as possible.”
“I welcome the point the Minister of State made on how the commitment will be met, because it is a programme for Government commitment. I appreciate that, as he stated, the role of the Department and Government is largely in setting policy. However, this is a programme for Government commitment, so it is criticat to give certainty to the sector that this commitment is met and that a timeline is laid out for that. The packaging and packaging waste regulation, PPWR, as I mentioned, was adopted by the European Parliament in April 2024, replacing the packaging directive. This is the key policy on packaging recycling for the coming decade. The PPWR requires that packaging waste is recycled at scale, meaning packaging waste must be separated, collected, sorted and recycled through installed infrastructure.”
“This demonstrates the potential to increase recycling at scale if the technology was rolled out across Ireland's wider MRF network. While the deposit return scheme has been really successful for PET bottles and aluminium cans since its inception in 2024, MRFs have lost access to a significant stream of materials for recycling and need to look elsewhere to bridge this gap. Investment in automatic sorting technology in key MRFs could rapidly scale up Ireland's ability to segregate packaging materials and significantly improve recycling processes and rates in years to come. I look forward to the Minister of State's response on this issue.”
“Sorting technology is a cost-efficient and straightforward solution that could increase recycling rates for multiple packaging materials. I would appreciate an update on the progress made to date on the programme for Government commitment to provide investment in sorting technology in the MRF network. The waste action plan for the circular economy is in the Minister of State's remit. What is the timeline for this plan's publication? It is important to note that an investment of only €3.5 million could fund the sorting systems across the MRF network. Automated sorting technologies have the capacity to identify, pick and sort cartons in Irish MRFs into their own dedicated streams without making huge changes to the configuration of the MRF.”
“This does not accurately reflect the programme for Government commitment and it is unclear what the action means in practice. A revised waste action plan for the circular economy is set to be published later this year. It is vital that this contains an action akin to that of the programme for Government and sets out a practical pathway as to how the Government envisages that this action will be achieved. The need for sorting technology is especially pertinent in light of the upcoming packaging and packaging waste regulation, PPWR, obligations facing Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency has reported that without a significant increase in recycling, Ireland will not meet legally binding targets under the PPWR.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The programme for Government, published in January 2025, contains a commitment to provide investment in sorting technology in Ireland's material recovery facility, MRF, network. This is a really positive commitment in the programme for Government, but in the time since the programme's publication, no progress has been made. I hope the Minister of State can update the House on progress on this commitment. The recently published Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028 is another really positive step in circular economy policy. However, in regard to sorting technology, the strategy contains an action to enhance the regulatory conditions required to promote further investment in packaging waste sorting systems.”
“It is a hugely popular scheme for farmers and farm organisations. If that funding could be reinstated for our traditional farm buildings, I would certainly welcome that.”
“If we are looking at future-proofing our agricultural sector away from the shocks that we are experiencing at the moment it has to be towards regenerative farming. There are lots of very small producers out there producing for local markets. Developing that sector and developing local markets for produce, with direct selling to customers, has to be the way. It must be at least part of the way forward, if not the entire way forward. I ask the Minister to give consideration to that. While I have the floor, I mentioned in the Order of Business the traditional farm buildings grant. In 2025 that grant scheme was €1.5 million but this year it has been cut in half to €750,000. If the Minister can find any money in the coffers in the Department of agriculture I ask that he give it to the Heritage Council.”