Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge Deputy Michael Healy-Rae's father may have raised the issue, but we have to give the former Minister, Mr. Jimmy Deenihan, credit as well. The former Minister put a lot of work into this and put a lot of funding into it. In fact, I put more funding into Killarney House when I was in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Deputy should not doubt that I will be down in the middle of the year to open Killarney House. Many Governments, over 30 or 40 years, were looking in the window for years and did nothing about it. In fairness, the Government and its predecessor put the funding into it. That house will be opened and it will be superb.

The Deputy must admit it was a tremendous day when we were down there to open the gardens. It was a great community day. The people turned out and they were all asking when would the house be open. I went in to have a look at the house on that occasion and it will be a tremendous asset to the tourism product in Killarney. I look forward to getting down there for the official opening.

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae raised the deer issue. We commissioned a report, which has been completed and we will undertake the cull. We have to be sensitive in that regard. We accept there is a problem and that problem is now being dealt with. That is why the cull is taking place and it will be finished by the end of March.

The Deputy also raised in a previous question the shortage of rangers. When I became Minister of State, the national parks had been starved of funding for many years. I have been fighting to get extra funding and got a little additional funding at the end of last year. I also got a commitment from the Government. The Deputy is quite correct that there is a shortage of rangers. The posts have been advertised and eight positions will be filled. In addition, I got a commitment from Government that whoever retires will be replaced plus the eight new rangers. We need many more rangers. The rangers have a wide variety of work to do. They have to cover much of the countryside and it is important to have them there.

We are trying to tackle the rhododendron problem. I note there have been differences in respect of the way this has been dealt with. I am putting out a call today to the community there to talk to the Department's officials. In Britain, the communities come in to the national parks and work with the Government to keep the national parks open. I am calling on the people of Killarney to sit down with the Department to see what support and help they can give to deal with this serious problem in Killarney National Park.

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