TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has been asked to purchase land on behalf of the State in order to expand ancient woodland in Wicklow.
Around 200 acres of land in Delgany adjoining the Glen of the Downs and Kindlestown Forest is up for sale.
If purchased by the State and merged with the other nature reserves, the protected space could be effectively doubled.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said it’s an opportunity to expand an “invaluable national treasure”.
“Sadly, the growth and vibrancy of the woodlands has been stifled in recent years as it is bounded by agricultural land on all sides and dissected by a major road,” she said.
“The purchase of this site by the State would allow for the joining of these two forests and provide a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand this majestic oak woodland.”
She pointed to Ireland’s commitment to the EU’s Nature Restoration Law, which set binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems – particularly those with the most potential to capture and store carbon.
It seeks to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050, with measures to restore urban, forest, agricultural and marine ecosystems.
The government has already set aside €3.5 billion in its Climate and Nature Fund for these types of projects.
Whitmore has also started a petition for the State to make the purchase in Wicklow.
The State recently purchased the Conor Pass in west Kerry, which is to form part of a new national park.
The land was put on sale at the end of the summer with a guide price of €10 million, but it is understood that the government purchased it for much less.
The Conor Pass is a mountain pass in the Dingle Peninsula, which ends close to Dingle town. It is a highly scenic drive and much loved by tourists, hikers, and locals alike.
It’s 1,400 acres of mature forestry, four lakes, a waterfall, salmon stream and ancient ruins.
As soon as the land went up for sale, there were calls for the government to bring the land under public ownership.
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