The Nature Restoration Regulation: Implications for Ireland and Europe

On 27 June, the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee will vote on a hugely significant piece of legislation, which will have far-reaching implications for Irish farming, agriculture and land use. The Nature Restoration Regulation, which aims to restore Europe’s degraded ecosystems, could also have major political implications for Ireland. In this keynote address, Senator Pippa Hackett, Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, discusses the overarching aims of the Nature Restoration Regulation, the challenges facing Europe with regard to the restoration of land and sea areas, and the significance of the legislation in an Irish context. About the Speaker: Senator Pippa Hackett has served as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since June 2020, where she is responsible for the Land Use and Biodiversity portfolio. Minister Hackett is an organic farmer and holds an undergraduate degree in agricultural science, and a PhD in equine science. Minister Hackett was first elected as a Senator for the Agricultural Panel in a by-election in 2019, and was re-elected to Seanad Éireann in 2020. Upon the formation of the current coalition Government, she was appointed Minister of State with Responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity. Minister Hackett is the first Senator to have been appointed as Minister of State and is one of three Ministers of State attending Cabinet.