As is the case in many other areas, while additional resources could be put to good use in the area of nature conservation, my general approach to staffing this sector has been to build up resources over time to address the growing volume of work involved in safeguarding our wildlife and important habitats, including responsibilities arising in connection with enforcement of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000.
This gradualist approach has ensured that the sector is now better and more effectively resourced than ever before. To provide just one illustration, since taking office I have authorised the employment of an extra 30 conservation rangers which has significantly increased the strength of the corps to 90 rangers. The number of administrative and scientific staff supporting the rangers has been increased by 24 since I took office. This figure includes three regionally based ecologists who will be on site to deal with issues as they arise. I have also recently obtained approval to recruit six additional ecologists.
For this reason, I take the view that the existing staff resources should suffice for the time being to deal with the special areas of conservation – SAC – designations and the Department's general functions in relation to wildlife and the management and supervision of other protected areas, including national parks, nature reserves and refuges for fauna.
It is my intention that the designation of NHAs will proceed on a phased basis in conjunction with SAC designations where possible and that staff dealing with SACs in their early phases of designation may be transferred, as their services become available, to deal with the ongoing process of NHA designation. This approach will ensure that the provisions of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000, are implemented in an efficient as well as a timely manner.