Minister O’Sullivan launches RestoreNature.ie to support public engagement with Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan
- Published on: 31 July 2025
- Last updated on: 31 July 2025
A new website RestoreNature.ie has been launched today (Thursday 31 July) by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan. The website aims to act as a portal for public engagement with the development of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. The Plan will set out national restoration needs and measures under the Nature Restoration Law and is due to be submitted to the EU Commission by 1 September 2026.
Commenting on the launch, Minister O’Sullivan said:
“It’s vital that people get a chance to participate in the conversation on nature restoration in Ireland. Events will be taking place across the country over the coming months and I’m appealing to all communities and stakeholders to get involved, learn more about what restoring nature means for them and have their say on how they want it to be done. Implementing the Nature Restoration Law is a huge opportunity for Ireland – including for people who earn a living from the land and the sea – and I’m looking forward to hearing the ideas and innovations that come out of the Community Conversations and Stakeholder Forums. RestoreNature.ie will be kept up to date with details of how to get involved and will also publish all of the reports from meetings and events in the interests of full transparency.”
The Independent Advisory Committee, which is chaired by Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, has been tasked with making recommendations to the Minister to inform the development of Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan, assessing the implications of delivering the plan and ensuring that all voices are heard during the deliberative process. As part of this work, the Committee will consider the outputs from the Leaders’ Forum workshops and Community Conversation events.
Chairperson Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin said:
“I’m delighted that everyone can now easily access information on public events, stakeholder workshops and the details of our own deliberations on the Independent Advisory Committee. All of the meeting reports are being published, so anyone who wants to see what we’re doing is able to do so. This is so important as we build trust and strengthen relationships. Our committee is diverse, with a broad range of experiences and perspectives. We are committed to working together to ensure that our recommendations work for people as well as for nature. I echo the Minister’s call to the public to engage in the Community Conversations in particular and encourage people to keep an eye on the website for more information.”
The website will provide updates on the work of the Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration, and publish the details of Leaders’ Forum workshops and public-facing Community Conversation events.
Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Niall Ó Donnchú added:
“The launch of RestoreNature.ie is an important step in the public engagement process that is now rolling out countrywide. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is determined to support everyone to participate in the conversation and help to ensure that their views are reflected in the recommendations of the Independent Advisory Committee. Our goal is to co-create a Nature Restoration Plan that delivers real, positive and lasting change for nature and for the communities that care for it.”
Further information
The Nature Restoration Regulation (EU2024/1991) came into force in August 2024. The Regulation is the first EU-wide, comprehensive law of its kind, and sets binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, in particular those with the most potential to capture and store carbon and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has been appointed by Government to coordinate the development of a national Nature Restoration Plan (NRP) arising from the Regulation, to be submitted to the EU Commission by 1 September 2026.