Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
712. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many ecologists are currently employed in An Bord Pleanála; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27694/23]
View answer713. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many marine biologists are currently employed in An Bord Pleanála; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27695/23]
View answer715. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many ecologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27697/23]
View answer716. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many marine biologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27698/23]
View answer717. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many ornithologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27699/23]
View answer718. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for An Bord Pleanála; how many hydrologists are currently employed; if there are forthcoming plans to recruit more; and the cost per year per post. [27700/23]
View answer759. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ecologists, marine biologists and ornithologists employed in An Bord Pleanála; if there are any plans to recruit more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28068/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 712, 713, 715 to 718, inclusive, and 759 together.
An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
There are now more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála, as detailed below.
• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.
• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.
• In April 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts, all of which were agreed by the Department. An Bord Pleanála submitted sanction approval requests for these positions and my Department has provided sanction approval for all 59 posts.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
In order to be of assistance, my Department obtained the information requested from An Bord Pleanála, who have provided the following information relating to staffing.
An Bord Pleanála have advised that the Board enacts Section 124 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, to engage specialist consultants as required on a case by case basis where this is considered necessary and An Bord Pleanála has panels which they are currently replenishing.
An Bord Pleanála have advised that they have recently completed a process to engage specialists in Marine and Climate to be utilised on a case-by-case basis. The consultant’s role was advertised in Ireland, the UK, Scandinavia and Holland. The process was to engage specialists across the full breadth of disciplines involved in Marine and Climate Planning. An Bord Pleanála advised that they have a number of specialist consultants who are engaged on case-by-case basis across a range of disciplines on biodiversity and Environmental matters. An Bord Pleanála currently employ a marine specialist at Board level at a salary of €133,000.
An Bord Pleanála have advised that they will be advertising for two full time employees in specialist posts that are approved with the following skillset;
1. Ecologist preferable with marine knowledge, and
2. Environmental/Marine scientist or equivalent.
An Bord Pleanála have advised that a number of the Inspectorate staff have qualifications in Coastal Zone Management and that the Board is continuing to train staff up in this area including recent field trips to the Marine Institute. An Bord Pleanála have advised that a number of the in-house staff have qualifications in Environmental Protection and Assessment.
An Bord Pleanála have stated that they propose to advertise for a further post of ecologist from the two specialist posts sanctioned in the Marine and Climate Resource Plan.
|
Role |
Number Employed |
Cost Per Year |
|
Ecologist |
One |
€87,375 |
|
Hydrologist |
None |
n/a |
|
Ornithologist |
None |
n/a |
|
Marine Biologists |
None |
n/a |
