Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. It is important, relevant and particularly timely. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each local authority chief executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. The role and duties of biodiversity officers comprise a matter for local authorities within the context of their wider obligations under the relevant legislation. Importantly, however, the programme for Government outlines our ambition to tackle the biodiversity crisis and provides a framework for meeting the challenges that we face in doing so. Local authorities are uniquely positioned, within their own biodiversity plans and working with communities, to help to halt biodiversity loss in their areas. Biodiversity officers are a key part of this and are crucial to the implementation of the actions for biodiversity at local and regional levels.

My Department is committed to supporting each local authority in the important role it plays in the implementation of actions contained in the national biodiversity action plan. Right as we speak, my officials are working on establishing a programme to facilitate the roll-out of biodiversity officers within local authorities nationwide. That will be a step change in how we tackle biodiversity loss all around the country.

The investment of my Department in biodiversity officer programmes through support of local authorities will enhance the efforts to deliver benefits for biodiversity. In that context, I and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, have allocated €600,000 in 2022 towards this programme. We want to see a real change in 2022.

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