Biodiversity is a core component of sustainable development, underpinning the development of the Irish economy and prosperity of Irish society.  Consequently, all public bodies can play an important role in conserving biodiversity.  Action 1.4 of Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan, Actions for Biodiversity 2011-2016, aimed to include in legislation a biodiversity duty on public bodies to ensure that conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are taken into account in all relevant plans, programmes and new legislation. 

More recently, under the 'Our Seeds for Nature' conference chater of the 2019 National Biodiversity Conference: New Horizons for Nature, the Dept. Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht committed to "Promote draft legislation introducing a biodiversity duty which will place a requirement on public bodies to embed biodiversity in carrying out their functions as to promote or restore nature."

Enacting a biodiversity duty will mainstream biodiversity protection into decision making at national, regional and local scales.  Once enacted, this indicator will track the number plans, programmes or new legislation including a statement on biodiversity duty. 

The National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 can be found here:

https://www.npws.ie/legislation/national-biodiversity-plan

The 'Our Seeds for Nature' conference charter of the 2019 National Biodiversity Conference: New Horizons can be found here:

https://www.biodiversityconference.ie/seeds-for-nature