Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2023
122. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will list the number of local authorities that have been funded for biodiversity officers to date; the number that are being employed; the funding allocated for those posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14201/23]
View answerIn 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 |
