Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
86. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if budget 2019 will allocate more resources for National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, officers in order to prevent and detect incidents of wildlife crime. [39796/18]
View answer98. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when she will be in a position to increase funding and staff numbers for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. [39797/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 98 together.
The Deputy will be aware that details of the financial allocations for my Department for 2019 will be made available as part of the Budget Estimates 2019 which will be published on Tuesday 9 October. In 2018, my Department allocated €11,982m to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which represents an over 7% increase from 2017. In addition, the overall budget for the Heritage Division in 2018 (€47,146m) increased by 4% from 2017. This investment represents a significant proportion of my Department's overall budget and reflects my continued commitment to the NPWS.
Officials from the NPWS of my Department continue to investigate breaches of both the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) regulations 2011 to 2015, while members of An Garda Síochána are also empowered under the Wildlife Acts and European Communities Regulations to investigate alleged offences and to prosecute if they see fit.
Staffing levels across my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Of the total Department’s staff of 660, 335 work in the area of natural heritage through the NPWS. I am pleased to note that in 2018, my Department recruited five permanent ecologists to NPWS and three permanent staff for the National Parks including a Supervisor Guide, an Education Guide and a General Operative. My Department recruits in the region of 70 seasonal staff each year to meet demand during the busy tourist season at the National Parks. In addition, the Department is currently engaged with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in recruiting further scientific staff for NPWS.
