Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge Deputy Ó Cathasaigh for tabling this question and I also want to acknowledge the work of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on this. It is a very important development that additional boots on the ground, as the Minister of State put it, will be in place. I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for coming to Killarney so swiftly recently in the aftermath of the devastating fires there. I want to emphasise how important it is that those personnel would be put in place without delay. There has been historical underinvestment in front-line personnel going back quite some while. The posts that have been announced are welcome but I suspect that we will probably need to increase the numbers of personnel on the front line over the coming years. I acknowledge again the fine work that is taking place. I understand that the Minister of State has been to Killarney National Park twice already. It is clear to see his enthusiasm and natural interest in the area and I thank him for all the work he is doing.

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