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Local Authorities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Questions (37)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

37. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the development of a biodiversity officer programme pursuant to the Programme for Government; the analysis his Department carried out in 2021 to ensure that all 31 local authorities have a sufficient number of biodiversity and heritage officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55192/21]

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Written answers

My Department is responsible for the implementation of a range of legislation and policy relating to biodiversity in Ireland, this does not include the employment of biodiversity officers, which falls under the remit of each local authority. Currently there are five biodiversity officers employed in the following local authorities: Fingal County Council; Wexford County Council; Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; Dublin City Council; and Kerry County Council.

The Heritage Officer Network Programme, run in partnership between the Heritage Council and local authorities, employs twenty-nine heritage officers. Heritage Officers work with other sections within the local authorities to develop policies and projects which highlight the importance of natural and built heritage when planning for the future. They co-ordinate and implement County Heritage Plans and work with local environmental and community groups to organise events.

The Programme for Government outlines our ambition to tackle the biodiversity crisis and provides a framework for meeting the challenges that we face in doing so. Local authorities are uniquely positioned, within their own biodiversity plans and working with communities, to help halt biodiversity loss. Biodiversity officers are a key part of this and are crucial to the implementation of actions for biodiversity at local and regional level.

My Department is committed to supporting local authorities in the important role they play in the implementation of actions contained in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. Officials in my Department are working on a programme to facilitate the roll-out of biodiversity officers within local authorities nationwide. My Department’s investment in the biodiversity officer programme, through support of local authorities, will enhance their efforts to deliver benefits for biodiversity. In that context, I have allocated €600,000 in 2022 towards the programme.

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