Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from the Department for their opening statements. This is my first time meeting them in the course of the Committee of Public Accounts, although I know they have been in relatively recently. I turn to something which was detailed in their opening statement. I want to change tack slightly and look at that heritage element of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service in particular. The figure outlined of the 70% drop in funding between 2008 and 2011 is very stark. There has been an absolute sea change in terms of funding for nature generally within this Government but also within the NPWS where we have had a rapid re-expansion. Both of those scenarios are challenging. Has there has been a scarring effect on the organisation from the retrenchment of the money? What does the Department see as growing pains as it tries to regrow, restaff, and repower the organisation?