I welcome the opportunity to contribute during national biodiversity week and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, who I appreciate had to step out, for his continued commitment to biodiversity projects, nature restoration and engagement with rural communities. I say this to acknowledge a visit he made with me to Cloughjordan in my constituency last November. This visit involved a number of stops, one of which was Scohaboy Bog, which is a rewetting project in north Tipperary. It is extremely successful and it is Tipperary's leading peatland restoration project. It involves a lot of community work and engagement with the Cloughjordan Community Development Association, which engaged with keen stakeholders to make it happen. It is on the topic of engagement that I will speak. An issue I will raise is stakeholder engagement structures in the wildlife and conservation sectors. As the Minister of State knows, this is an issue I have raised previously in the House because I believe meaningful stakeholder engagement is crucial if we are serious about delivering biodiversity objectives. The most recent NPWS strategic action plan committed to establishing a stakeholder forum. Subsequently, there was a further commitment to establishing a countryside forum for nature. I understand this is now not to proceed. At the same time, a separate forum for sustainable hunting of wild birds was also recently suspended. Stakeholders involved in this process have expressed frustration at the lack of clarity around the decision and uncertainty as to when any forum may resume its work. I raise this simply in the spirit of ensuring constructive engagement between the Department and rural stakeholders. I would appreciate if the Minister of State would speak to officials in the Department to better understand whether there is a timeline for the reinstatement of the forum. Another issue I want to raise relates to the review of the memorandum of understanding agreed with the National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC. I last raised this issue in the House in October. It was announced that a review of the memorandum of understanding with the Department would take place at that time. It is my understanding that to date the NARGC has not yet been contacted by officials in relation to this review process. From my point of view, when I raised it in the House at the time I was quite surprised to hear the review was taking place to begin with, considering a memorandum of understanding had been undertaken. My understanding is that the NARGC was not informed in advance that a review was taking place and has not received clarification from the NPWS as to what the process will involve. I fully appreciate that reviews have to take place. They make sense in terms of spending public funding. However, where organisations have engaged with the Department, it is important that there is open communication and ongoing engagement throughout the entire process. At a time when we are all asking more of rural communities in terms of biodiversity delivery, conservation and nature restoration - I know these communities will step up to the plate because they are already doing so - it is important these same communities are included in national policy discussions. Collaboration with stakeholders will be essential in ensuring consensus on major measures, such as the nature restoration law, in the years ahead. Earlier, I mentioned a very successful nature restoration project in a bog close to me. This was possible because of strong engagement and clear communication, and getting a group of people together who, it would have been assumed at one time, would not have pulled in the right direction. They proved it is possible with engagement and constructive work. I would appreciate if the Minister of State engaged with officials and the Department to ensure communication with all parties remains constructive and transparent as these processes move forward and that the original ambition behind these engagement structures can still be meaningfully progressed. Rural Ireland wants to engage constructively on these issues. I believe it is important that this continues in a spirit of partnership and good faith. I know this because I live in rural Ireland. I represent rural Ireland and I know these communities will engage if there is a positive benefit for them and if they are brought along the process. In order for this to happen I believe the two forums I mentioned earlier are absolutely essential. There are groups that want to be part of the conversation. These groups are interested in rural Ireland, rural pursuits and rural ways of life, and this includes conservation as part of their work. If we have engagement and meaningful conversation, I believe this can happen.

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