In September 2022 the Heritage Council and County and City Management Association (CCMA), with the support of my Department, announced funding to ten local authorities to appoint a biodiversity officer. Funding for a biodiversity officer in a further 11 local authorities was announced in February this year.
These positions are in addition to the four biodiversity officers already appointed in Galway City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and Dublin City.
Of the 21 positions to be funded under the present programme, three have already been filled (in Offaly, Westmeath and Wicklow), a further seven biodiversity officers are expected to be in place by the end of June and the remaining eleven positions are expected to be filled by year-end. The programme has an allocation of €1.6 million.
Details of the 25 local authorities are included in the appended table.
Local Authority
|
Approval of funding issued
|
Biodiversity Officer Appointment Date
|
Galway City Council
|
N/A
|
Pre-September 2022
|
Fingal County Council
|
N/A
|
Pre-September 2022
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council
|
N/A
|
Pre-September 2022
|
Dublin City Council
|
N/A
|
Pre-September 2022
|
Clare County Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Cork City Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Galway County Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Kerry County Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Kilkenny County Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Offaly County Council
|
September 2022
|
13 March 2023
|
Sligo County Council
|
September 2022
|
Projected Q2
|
Westmeath County Council
|
September 2022
|
7 March 2023
|
Wicklow County Council
|
September 2022
|
30 January 2023
|
Carlow County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Cork County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Donegal County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Leitrim County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Limerick County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Longford County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Meath County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3-4
|
Monaghan County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3
|
Tipperary County Council
|
January 2023
|
Projected Q3
|