Ireland to Draft National Parks Legislation Prioritizing Conservation and Restoration

The Irish government has announced its intention to draft new legislation specifically for its National Parks, aiming to establish nature conservation and restoration as the primary management purpose. Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, revealed the plan, calling it "one of the most significant developments in nature conservation legislation in the history of the State."

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We know that we need to lead nature restoration on public land, and our National Parks are central to achieving this.

Minister O’Sullivan emphasized the need for Ireland to lead nature restoration on public lands, with National Parks playing a central role. He stated, "I want Ireland’s first National Parks Bill to make the primary purpose of these amazing places crystal clear: to protect and restore nature."

The proposed legislation will also introduce a governance and management framework designed to tackle contemporary environmental challenges. These include biodiversity loss, climate change, and increasing recreational pressures. The framework will encompass management planning, the power to create byelaws regulating activities within parks, and the ability to prohibit or restrict certain actions, supported by enforcement powers and sanctions.

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I want Ireland’s first National Parks Bill to make the primary purpose of these amazing places crystal clear: to protect and restore nature.

Currently, the National Parks service operates under various legislative and administrative arrangements without a comprehensive statutory framework. The government believes a dedicated legislative framework will align Ireland with international best practices, providing a solid foundation for the protection, restoration, and management of its natural assets.

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As we look to the future, it is essential that our National Parks are supported by legislation that is fit for contemporary purpose: legislation that clarifies operations and management across the National Park system.

Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), welcomed the decision, stressing the need for legislation that is "fit for contemporary purpose." He noted that the bill must clarify operations and management across the park system and strengthen the NPWS's authority and enforcement powers in its conservation efforts.

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It must also strengthen our authority and enforcement powers as we in NPWS work tirelessly to protect these extraordinary natural gems.