Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2159. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of permanent full-time equivalent staff in the forestry division within his Department by grade, role and function; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41725/22]
View answer2160. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of temporary and contracted full-time equivalent staff in the forestry division within his Department by grade, role and function; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41726/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2159 and 2160 together.
Project Woodland was set up over a year ago to tackle the licensing issues and the backlog and to focus on developing a new Forest Strategy to promote woodland creation.
In conjunction with this process, we have invested in resources to deal with the licensing delays, with more ecologists, Forestry inspectors and additional administrative staff assigned to licensing.
We have made and continue to make improvements to our systems and processes in order to utilise our staff resources as effectively as possible. An organisational review of the Department’s Forestry divisions will also be undertaken following the conclusion of a public tendering process, which is currently underway.
I have provided in the attached table the current number of permanent and contracted staff working in all three forestry divisions in my Department ie the Administrative, Forest Sector Development (FSD) and Inspectorate (including ecology/archaeology) divisions.
Please note also that these staff are involved of all aspects of the forestry remit including licensing, promotion, forest health, payments, engagement at National, EU and international level on forestry policy issues and forest sector development.
Number of full time equivalent permanent and contract staff across all three Forestry Divisions of DAFM in July 2022
|
Grade/Role |
Admin |
FSD |
Inspectorate |
Total |
|
Senior Inspector |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Forestry Inspector Grade 1 |
3 |
9 |
12 |
|
|
Forestry Inspector Grade 2 |
10 |
10 |
||
|
Forestry Inspector Grade 3 |
3 |
26 |
29 |
|
|
Forest Insp G3 (archaeologist) |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Forest Insp G3 (ecologist) |
1 |
1 |
||
|
AAI (ecologist) |
7 |
7 |
||
|
Contract Ecologist |
27.8 |
27.8 |
||
|
Contract Forestry Inspector Grade 3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
|
Principal Officer |
1 |
1 |
||
|
Assistant Principal |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
|
Higher Executive Officer |
14 |
14 |
||
|
Executive Officer |
26 |
1 |
4 |
31 |
|
Clerical Officer |
34 |
34 |
||
|
Total |
79 |
11 |
90.8 |
180.8 |
