I propose to take Questions Nos. 1272 and 1273 together.
Details of staff of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017 are shown in the table below.
The IFI Environmental Officers are dedicated to protecting the environment and ensuring best practice with regard to engineering works. Additionally, environmental protection is an element of the role of Inspector, Assistant Inspector, Fisheries Officer and General Operative grades, in addition to their duties in fisheries protection and development.
GRADE
|
STAFF NUMBERS BY YEAR
|
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
CEO
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Heads Of Function
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
RBD Director
|
5
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
6
|
6
|
Assistant Principal Officer
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
Engineer Grade 2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Higher Executive Officer
|
13
|
13
|
12
|
12
|
11
|
15
|
15
|
Executive Officer
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
Environmental Officer
|
19
|
16
|
16
|
16
|
17.5
|
16.5
|
15.5
|
Fishery Inspector
|
28
|
25
|
24
|
23
|
26
|
24
|
24
|
Assistant Fishery Inspectors
|
42
|
41
|
41
|
40
|
38
|
38
|
38
|
Fisheries Officer
|
107.4
|
105.4
|
102.4
|
96.4
|
125
|
130
|
131
|
General Operative/ Foreperson*
|
58.6
|
51.1
|
49.1
|
46.1
|
8.1
|
7.7
|
7.7
|
Administrative Assistant
|
29.25
|
29.6
|
28.6
|
27.1
|
25.1
|
25.1
|
25.1
|
Senior Research Officer
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
Research Officer
|
10
|
9
|
9
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
Senior Research Technician
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
Research Technician
|
11
|
11
|
11
|
11
|
13
|
12
|
11
|
Totals
|
341.25
|
323.1
|
314.1
|
299.6
|
291.7
|
300.3
|
302.3
|
*The inland fisheries resource benefitted from the upgrade of some 36 existing Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) staff to the grade of Fisheries Officer in 2015. Previously General Operatives, the new Fisheries Officers received training in the skills and competencies to allow then to enforce fisheries legislation thereby protecting and conserving Ireland’s valuable inland fisheries and sea angling resource.