Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 June 2023
218. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts in relation to the prosed EU law on nature restoration; the result of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28678/23]
View answerThroughout the drafting process of the proposed Nature Restoration Regulation, Ireland has worked with the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (currently held by Sweden), and colleagues in other Member States, with the aim of producing as complete, effective and durable a proposal as possible that maintains a high level of ambition for the EU and provides sufficient flexibility for Member States to deliver on implementation through their national restoration plans.
In this context, Ireland has made several drafting proposals at Working Party meetings in recent months to ensure the best fit for Ireland’s nature and people, taking account of the particular landscape, seascape, land use, climate, challenges and opportunities for nature restoration in Ireland. My Department has had direct contact with most Member States and with the Commission experts as discussions proceeded.
At their invitation, my colleague, Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform, spoke with his Swedish counterpart on 30 May to discuss the draft Regulation. He reaffirmed Ireland's support for the proposal and the Presidency's aim for the agreed general approach on the Regulation to be ready for the Environment Council on 20 June.
