Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 1 June 2023

Public Accounts Committee

Appropriation Accounts 2021
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Local Government Fund Account 2021
2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 6: Central Government Funding of Local Authorities

9:30 am

Mr. Niall ? Donnch?:

I will address it. They are coming into us. Recruitment is challenging in the labour market right now and retention is a real challenge. We make the investment in these colleagues who are absolutely crucial. Sometimes they are attracted to the private market. There is an ongoing pay claim with Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform which has responsibility for pay and I do not want to prejudice that. Our view within NPWS, which I will say plainly, is that the pay for the ranger cohort has not been looked at in a very long time and needs to be addressed. I do not want to prejudice the engagement between Forsa, the conservation rangers and Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform at the moment but we certainly will not stand in the way of that review.