A €1 million fund to protect Ireland 's biodiversity over the next two years was announced by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche today.
Mr Roche also unveiled the creation of a dedicated biodiversity unit within his department to protect the wide variety of species of plants and animals across the whole of Ireland .
They were two of 13 new initiatives designed to boost diversity in the natural world announced at the interim review of the National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006.
Mr Roche also said the National Parks and Wildlife Service's 160-strong fleet of vehicles would be changing over to biofuels as part of Ireland 's attempt to meet its Kyoto commitments.
The €1 million fund will be administered by the Heritage Council, which will shortly be detailing how the money will be spent, he said.
Other new initiatives include establishing a biological records centre, research, local biodiversity plans and a public awareness campaign.
The Minister pledged closer co-operation with the North to protect some of the island's most vulnerable plants and animals from extinction.
Mr Roche said 11.5 per cent of the state is now designated as Natural Heritage Areas, while 420,000 hectares of marine areas are now protected.
The amount available to the Environment Department for nature conservation rose from €22.42 million in 2002 to €34.87 million in 2005.
PA