I move amendment No. 29b: In page 17, to delete line 22 and substitute the following: “ ”. The wording has been amended for Report Stage. The amendment refers to the native Irish pine. For a long time it was believed that pine was not native to Ireland or it had become extinct but was then re-imported from Scotland so hence the name Scots pine. I believe that a small stand of native Irish pine has been found in the Burren and the amendment refers to the use of that type of pine. Senator Alice-Mary Higgins is unhapp…

On the yew trees, I note with interest that it is a protected habitat type. I was fortunate to work in Reenadinna wood in Killarney National Park, the only native yew wood in the country. To be honest, it has not been very well protected by the State. In fact, as part of the millennium scheme, diggers were brought in across the limestone pavement to put up a fence to keep the deer out, but that undertaking managed to trap the deer inside the woods. Therefore, there has not been very good protection of yew habitats.…

I move amendment No. 31: In page 17, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: " ". This amendment seeks to do the opposite to Senator Boyhan's, which was to take off Taxus baccata, and to add hawthorn and blackthorn to the list of native species that can be included in the areas. Both these species are good in respect of the benefits for biodiversity, including flowers. These plants flower early and are a good source of food for pollinators, for insects foraging and for those foraging on the berries in the…

My experience from working in the national park was that hawthorn and blackthorn are trees, but Senator Boyhan has put it better than I could. On the agri-environmental schemes, there are issues in that regard given the situation in Ukraine etc. I do not understand why these two species could not be added to the list, because as I said they are not shrubs but trees. Perhaps the Minister of State will take these comments back to the Department and reconsider this aspect before we go on to Report Stage.

Birch on peatlands is a pioneer species but my understanding is that this would allow for the full list of native trees to be planted on peatland. Is that correct? It is not just the likes of birch, which self-seed and are pioneers. It could be any of the listed trees.

On the issue around peatlands discussed in relation to amendment No. 25, the Minister of State said birch are found on peatlands and can provide biodiversity, but birch is a pioneer species which self-seeds or is carried in by birds. It is generally scrub. My understanding is that we are exempting the planting of any trees on the native tree species list. Is that correct? That is where our concern is. It is not what would happen in terms of natural rewilding or building up of scrub but the deliberate planting of an…

I want to raise the Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill which the President signed into the law at the weekend. I have no doubt that the money off electricity bills will be welcomed by many people across the country who are struggling with their energy costs. However, during the Committee Stage debate on the Bill I flagged my concern that the Government was planning to use funds allocated for energy poverty retrofits for the electricity credit. Today at the Oireachtas Select Co…

We will be done in 15 minutes.

I do.

We could be out in five minutes. Do I need a seconder on Report Stage? I do not have anyone.

Then they will all fall.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 14, line 38, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. On Committee Stage, we outlined Sinn Féin's objection to the Bill, in that it is unfair to fishing communities because they cannot expunge the points they are given if they go to court. All of those issues were debated on Committee Stage, and unfortunately the Minister would not take on board our concerns. The amendments we have submitted today on Report Stage that have made it onto the Order Paper all deal with the same issue, which is substituting the words "an Irish" for "a Eur…

I am not going to labour the point because this Bill was debated at length in the Dáil. As I said, Sinn Féin has, from the outset, fundamentally disagreed with the approach that is being taken because it is deeply unfair on small Irish fishing fleets. We know the amendments will not be accepted but we will press them.

I move amendment No. 8: In page 16, line 34, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

I move amendment No. 9: In page 17, line 9, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

I move amendment No. 10: In page 18, line 12, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

I move amendment No. 14: In page 21, line 29, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

I move amendment No. 15: In page 25, line 4, to delete “an Irish” and substitute “a European”.

I move amendment No. 16: In page 25, lines 5 and 6, to delete “Irish licence” and substitute “license held in a European Member State”.