Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin named chair of committee advising on Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan
Posted 11 November, 2024
Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin was previously the Chair of the Biodiversity Citizens’ Assembly
The Government of Ireland has named (opens in a new window)Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin as the Chair of the Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) on Nature Restoration.
The experienced science communicator will helm the newly appointed IAC six member committee, which includes (opens in a new window)Professor Tasman Crowe, Vice President for Sustainability at UCD.
The group will provide advice to the Government on Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan, which is to be developed under the EU Nature Restoration Law.
It is this plan that will lay out how Ireland intends to meet its legally-binding targets, including specific targets for farmed habitats.
The advisory committee will also engage with the stakeholder participation process, and ensure that any national restoration plan addresses the views of the public, key groups and sectors.
In addition, it will be responsible for considering the outputs from technical, inter-departmental working groups across themes of Land, Sea, Towns and Cities, and Finance.
“The wealth of experience on our Independent Advisory Committee will ensure that the Minister responsible will be well supported to deliver an ambitious, inclusive and impactful Plan that can empower all sectors to restore nature at scale,” said Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD.
Professor Tasman Crowe, UCD Vice President for Sustainability, previously chaired the advisory group to the Government on Marine Protected Areas
“From the very start of the debate around the Nature Restoration Law, I’ve been clear that everyone’s voices will be heard, that decisions will be made on the basis of the best available evidence and that the development of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan will be co-designed with stakeholders in a spirit of collaboration, understanding and partnership.“
Dr Ní Shúilleabháin, from the UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics, is a passionate advocate for communicating science to the general public and in making STEM more accessible and exciting to a wider audience.
As Chair of the Biodiversity Citizens’ Assembly she helped the Assembly make recommendations on how the State should respond to the crisis of biodiversity loss.
UCD Vice President for Sustainability Professor Tasman Crowe is Chair of Ireland’s National Biodiversity Forum, and previously chaired the advisory group to the Government on the expansion of Ireland’s network of Marine Protected Areas.
His research characterises impacts of multiple stressors on marine ecosystems and the services they provide to society, including their cultural value.
Other IAC committee members include County Laois dairy farmer David Kerr; CEO of Birdwatch Ireland, Linda Lennon; Norah Parke, who retired from the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation in 2023; and Tipperary native, Joe MacGrath, who was the first Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council until his retirement in 2024.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
