Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 February 2022
116. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress that has been made allocating biodiversity officers across the country; the number of additional biodiversity officers that will be employed; the counties that will receive a biodiversity officer; the number of posts that have been filled to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10299/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government includes a commitment to ensure that each local authority has a sufficient number of Biodiversity Officers and Heritage Officers among their staff complement. There are currently five biodiversity officers employed in local authorities, mainly in the Leinster area.
The role of a biodiversity officer is prescribed at local level by the employing local authority. The primary function of a biodiversity officer is to promote, manage and co-ordinate biodiversity related activities within the local authority. Biodiversity officers are the public face of biodiversity-related activities within the local authority, commissioning biodiversity surveys, implementing community related projects to improve the status of biodiversity in the local authority area, and organising relevant public events. Biodiversity officers advise local authorities in relation to their obligations with regard to national and local biodiversity policies, programmes and priorities.
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. My Departments 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 €600k in 2022 towards the programme. My Department, in collaboration with the Heritage Council, will work with local authorities on establishing a programme in the coming months.
