COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, November 10, 2025
QUESTION NO. 4
QUESTION: Councillor D. McManus
To ask the Chief Executive if the Biodiversity Action Plan 2020-2026 is subject to oversight of Government Departments, national policy, any relevant legislation for implementation or accountability?
REPLY:
Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was published in January 2024. The NBAP strives for a “whole of government, whole of society” approach to the governance and conservation of biodiversity.
Target no. 1C5 of the NBAP requires that:
By the end of 2026, all Local Authorities will have a Biodiversity Action Plan in place.
The associated Action for this Target states:
All Local Authorities will have a Biodiversity Action Plan adopted by the end of 2026 which is subject to regular review and revision processes in line with relevant guideline standards.
SDCC’s BAP was launched in 2020, and it was prepared and is being implemented under the remit of the Council’s Heritage Officer in conjunction with an Internal Steering Group comprising staff members drawn from across different operational sections.
The NBAP is also positioned in Target no. 1D5 to support Local Authorities in the implementation of actions for biodiversity:
By 2027, all Local Authorities are supported to carry out biodiversity related projects on an annual basis.
The associated Action for this Target states:
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will continue to support Local Authorities biodiversity projects through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF), which includes actions on invasive alien species, throughout the lifetime of this Plan.
Grant applications to fund biodiversity projects are submitted annually by the SDCC Heritage Officer to the LBAF following inputs from the Steering Group, and reports on project findings are submitted to NPWS for evaluation in Q4 of each year as part of the grant process.
In addition, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 (Appendix I) places an obligation on public bodies to have regard to the objectives and targets of the NBAP in the performance of their functions. Since 2025, public bodies are now required to report on the measures adopted by them in compliance with this requirement, i.e. the fulfilment of their ‘Biodiversity Duty’ within 18 months of the publication of the NBAP.
To fulfil this legislation requirement under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023, a return submitted to the NPWS in April 2025, outlining the range of measures undertaken for biodiversity by SDCC, not only with reference to the actions of the SDCC Biodiversity Action Plan, but also across other areas of responsibility within the Council’s wider operations.