I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Parliamentary Question No 776 of 17 January last. My Department has invested heavily in tackling this invasive species, the control of which is difficult, costly, and labour intensive. The management of the dynamic and aggressive Rhododendron ponticum is a long-standing ongoing programme in the National Park. In the past, approximately 3,000 of the over 10,000 hectares in the Park were, to some extent, affected. My Department remains of the opinion that the existing management programme has made significant inroads into the problem with approx. 2,000 of the 3,000 hectares, involving some 40 different sites, under effective control.
The ongoing programme of works, at this time, is comprised of four primary elements:
i. the initial clearance and follow-up maintenance work by contractors;
ii. ongoing maintenance work by volunteers and students;
iii. a Rhododendron eradication management contract; and,
iv. ongoing work by NPWS staff including co-ordination, research, and monitoring.
Since 2011, the Department has invested over €700k to tackle rhododendron clearance in Killarney National Park and in 2016 the Department spent close to €210k on clearance. An updated Strategic Rhododendron Management Plan has been finalised and the Department has issued a Request for Tender (RFT) inviting suitably qualified vendors for the term of four years to be included on the Department’s Rhododendron Ponticum Eradication and/or Maintenance programme. €240,000 has already been budgeted for Rhododendron clearance in Killarney National Park this year.
In addition, in 2016 my Department spent over €2m in Killarney National Park (including Killarney House). This represents the largest apportionment of my Department’s overall budget for National Parks and Reserves and reflects the commitment and the value that my Department places on the Park.
