I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Deputy for his comments. It is agreed that Irish Water will need years and significant investment to address deficiencies in our water and wastewater infrastructure. Irish Water’s primary function is to provide clean safe drinking water to customers and to treat wastewater and return it safely to the environment. In providing these critical services Irish Water plays a role in enabling social and economic growth and protecting the environment as well as the health and safety of the…

I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for making his point so well. Resolving homelessness is a priority of this Government and the programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has established a high-level homelessness task force, including chief executives of a number of the largest homeless NGOs and the DRHE, which will feed into the implementation of the programme for Government. Key t…

I thank Deputy Cullinane for raising the matter. I am fully aware that it is an important project for the south-east region and not just for Waterford city. The North Quays was the subject of an SDZ order made by Government recognising the social and economic importance of the site to the State, and designating the Waterford North Quays for mixed-use development, subject to the preparation of an SDZ planning scheme, which has been done. The national planning framework, launched in February 2018 as part of Project I…

I agree with the Deputy entirely on the train station. I am very familiar with it and strategically its location is wrong for the future advancement of Waterford city. The Waterford North Quays project is a very complex and high-cost project in a strategic development zone, SDZ. Therefore, it is critical that careful consideration is given to its planning and development, and the establishment of the correct combination of supports required to facilitate successful advancement and completion or the right blend of i…

I thank Deputy Mattie McGrath for putting his points so well. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Irish Water as a single national water services authority takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment. Existing water supply sources and infrastructure for the eastern and midlands region do not have the capacity or resilience to meet present or future requ…

The delivery of the Shannon water supply project is a key strategic investment priority for Irish Water under the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The cost of the project will be identified and updated throughout the project development process in line with the procedures of the new public spending code, which seeks to address some of the cost estimation issues that arose in respect of the children's hospital. This project is needed to address the capacity issues in the region, to support jobs in the economy, t…

I am responsible for questions under the heritage remit. Hedgerows are very important wildlife habits, providing food, shelter, corridors of movement, nesting and hibernation sites for many of our native flora and fauna. There are approximately 400,000 km of hedges in this country. In general, it is permissible to cut hedges during the winter period mentioned in the question. While under section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, there are restrictions on cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetatio…

I thank the Deputy for the clarification. In relation to hedge cutting and broadband, on 9 July this year during a discussion on the 2020 Revised Estimate for the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Naughten indicated that the roll-out of the national broadband plan could result in a requirement for householders to clear vegetation to facilitate connections. The Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has since brought this issue to my attention. Given the constraints set out in the law on the timi…

Deputy Naughten has made a very worthwhile proposal and I will certainly take it back to the Department. It is absolutely right that we protect our hedgerows and that we have taken all due account of the protection of our biodiversity, but broadband is an essential item that must be delivered, through the national broadband plan. My Department will ensure that a line of communication is established and we will do all we can to ensure that as much work as can be done within the permissible period is carried out in a…

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan who, I know, has a huge interest in this area. The Department is responsible for implementing the Wildlife Acts and the birds and natural habitats regulations, the principal items of legislation underpinning the protection, conservation and restoration of nature and biodiversity in the State. In addition, the Department has responsibility for implementing a range of other EU nature legislation, including the EU regulations on invasive alien species. The collection of biodiversity and speci…

I could not agree more. I would not suggest that the data centre is funded on an ad hoc basis because the work is contracted out. It is a separate piece of work and there is a commitment in the programme for Government to ensure support for biodiversity recording and the essential citizen science work the Deputy spoke about, which is so valuable on a community basis. I know it is work the Deputy is involved in. It is work I have done with regard to invasive species management and the recording of species. I see it …

I agree with everything Deputy O'Sullivan has said. In regard to the NPWS, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to a comprehensive review of the role, function and resourcing of the NPWS. The Deputy is correct in saying that there is a resourcing issue, and that is important. In the short time I have been in this office, I have seen some amazing work done by our staff and rangers throughout the country and I am immensely proud of that. The body is under-resourced. We will explore the possibility of…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 27 together. Waterways Ireland's work programme is critical to providing a safe and high-quality recreation environment for the public, while also preserving the industrial and environmental heritage of the waterways for future generations. These challenges must be balanced with the objective of increasing recreational activity across all of our waterways. The Estimates for 2020 provide for an allocation of €25.6 million for Waterways Ireland, comprising €21.2 million in curr…

I could not agree more with the Deputy. It is the objective of our Department to work very closely with Waterways Ireland to achieve the priorities outlined by the Deputy. I visited a fantastic project run by Waterways Ireland in Lough Allen last week. It was incredible to see how the resource is being used. It is particularly pertinent during these Covid times that these resources are available for communities. They have been a lifeline for people's mental health and well-being. That priority, in the discussions I…

I thank Deputy Smith for keeping this on the agenda. It is an important matter. I agree with the contention that the process should be incremental, because these are capital intensive projects, as I said at the outset. Budgets are limited and constrained. I am encouraged by the positive engagement we have had with Waterways Ireland. It is very early days for me to get fully up to speed on all of these issues, but the upcoming planning process provides us with a significant opportunity to increase the usage and recr…

I thank Deputy Whitmore for bringing this important issue forward. The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958. The statute is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare. While the regulation of hare coursing is not under my statutory control, licences are requi…

To increase our knowledge of the prevalence of RHD2 virus across the country the NPWS is working with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to develop a national survey of RHD2 in rabbits. This will involve sampling rabbits from hunting bags in different locations throughout the country. The vast majority of rabbits sampled will be those ordinarily taken by licensed hunters in the course of their normal leisure shooting. A small number of additional animals may be taken for the purpose of…

I share the concerns expressed by Deputy Whitmore. There is no commitment in the programme for Government to ban hare coursing. We would have liked to have secured that, but it is not there. We are still collating information and data. The decision is due in the next while. I cannot give a commitment today on whether that will be a positive or negative decision. We need to gather all the information, data and veterinary advice on this. I will give a commitment that whatever decision is made will be made based on th…

I thank the two Deputies for raising this important issue. If it is okay, I will provide the House with some background information in relation to it. The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, AEWA, was developed under the UN Convention on Migratory Species. Ireland signed up to the agreement in 2003. The agreement includes a commitment that "Parties shall endeavour to phase out the use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands as soon as possible in accordance with self-imposed and pub…

I thank Deputies Carthy and Clarke for raising this issue. I accept the points they have raised. As I have already stated in my response, my Department is fully aware of the difficulties hunters and landowners may encounter in sourcing alternative ammunition or guns should the Commission regulation come into force. We are fully supportive of the ban on the use of lead shot in and around wetlands given the environmental threats posed by lead in the environment. At the same time, my Department has liaised directly wi…