The EU's Life funding had helped bring the corncrake back from the brink of extinction, the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment heard. Photograph: NPWSThe proposed closure of a long-standing European Union nature programme will have a “deeply regressive” impact on efforts to protect endangered species and habitats in Ireland, an Oireachtas committee has said. Since 1992, Ireland has secured funding for more than 100 Life projects with total investment exceeding €200 million. “It’s incredibly disheartening that the commission is proposing to take away the EU’s only dedicated environmental funding instrument,” added O’Sullivan. “Our fear is that nature projects could end up competing with infrastructure projects, or defence and security spending, or digital spending.

Source: The Irish Times March 31, 2026 06:32 UTC