The Sustainability, Safety and Accessibility unit of the Oireachtas is calling for donations of used wellies, with both adult and children's sizes welcome.

The Sustainability Oireachtas is working with the Oireachtas creche on a garden project for the creche playground, in which the wellies will be repurposed and made into flower planters.

If you have any unused wellies left lying around and would like to donate them, you can email [email protected] and they will organise collection.

Independent Senator Victor Boyhan, who is a member of the joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food, told Agriland: "I commend the Oireachtas Creche for the creativity in repurposing old wellington boots – upcycling is the name of the game".

This project seeks to reuse, recycle and repurpose the wellie, a piece of footwear very familiar to farmers and which Senator Boyhan said was "versatile and made an ideal container to be reimagined as a planter".

"It’s a really easy process, and an activity you can do with the kids too – who seem to outgrow their wellies very fast. I wish the Oireachtas Creche every success and enjoyment in the project”, he added.

Previous initiatives in partnership with the Oireachtas involved the donation of shamrocks grown by prisoners at Castlerea Prison, in a bid to raise money for charity.

This initiative has been running for two years now, and saw 100 small pots of shamrocks gifted by the Roscommon-based prison go on display at reception in Leinster House.

An honesty box was also in situ by the shamrocks to collect donations to Esker House Domestic Abuse, an Athlone-based charity chosen by the inmates.

Castlerea Prison is a closed category, medium security prison in Co. Roscommon for males over 17-years-old, with a bed capacity of 340.