I will continue the conversation about how we support our local communities. This morning the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, launched a guide for inclusive community engagement in local planning and decision making. It is a good start to many things but I briefly glanced through the document and there is nothing compulsory in it. It is guidance. There is no financial support to local government and no training.

We have a legal responsibility under our public sector duty. It is in the Act that set up the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. We have responsibilities to enable our communities to rise. This is a good starting point, but we need to look at it and pull it apart to see how we can support it in a local community. If we do not engage with communities, including marginalised communities; if we do not have a full-time officer in our local governments working, listening and understanding what is going on; if people in the planning departments of our local authorities do not understand what accessible planning and development are, we will not get the answers. This is a lovely guide about engagement, but there is nothing statutory in it. There is no stipulation about how projects should be examined. No funding should be given to local government for projects that are not disability proofed or inclusivity proofed. No funding should be handed over to anyone for projects that are not inclusive.

I ask for a debate on integration with the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, as if we raise one community, we raise every community. It will cost less in the long run to be inclusive and will make a better stronger community. We need full-time workers in our local authorities. We need active engagement.

I welcome the Heritage Council funding for biodiversity officers for a number of local authorities that was announced this morning. We still need to see more local authorities come on board. Funding has been announced for Galway County Council and it is at an advanced stage of getting that person on board, but we also need to see it for Roscommon.

Biodiversity is important. We see it happening. In Roscommon we have the Ballydangan Bog Red Grouse Project which has been amazing. It has been bringing landowners together with ecologists to protect the environment. The project manages the landscape to protect curlews. The shooting or hunting club works with farmers and landowners to protect curlews. One of the highest numbers of pairs of curlews in Ireland are based in the Ballydangan Bog Red Grouse Project. This is a shining light for so many areas . It is based in the bogs around Moore and it is crucial.

Biodiversity happens in our communities and it is important we have officers to help and work with communities, farmers and landowners on the ground. Everything is not separate to policies in headquarters in local authorities. It must happen with community groups on the ground. I acknowledge that and the people who do the work such as Galway's Living Bog in Mountbellew which is another great project. It is making the bog come alive for community groups and students. It has built a walkway where people can explore and see some of the bogs and wetland areas. It is wetlands day today.