Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

25. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a formal request has been made to An Garda Síochána to investigate the loss of weapons and ammunition in the National Parks and Wildlife Service; and if she will ensure that any report on this issue will be made available to the public. [11716/17]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Has a request been made to An Garda Síochána or any outside body with regard to weapons and ammunition held by the National Parks and Wildlife Service? Will the Minister of State ensure any report emanating from such an investigation will be made available to the public?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is not aware of the loss of any high-calibre weapons or ammunition from armouries. As part of its annual asset verification process, my Department undertakes reviews of sensitive assets, including firearms. These are routine and standard asset reconciliation, verification and management exercises. An annual report is being prepared for the Department's management board on foot of the verification exercise conducted in 2016. No loss of weapons or ammunition was identified in that process. The 2017 audit of such firearms, which commenced recently, is being combined with an additional review of the Department’s management procedures in respect of firearms and ammunition. The purpose of this review is to ensure the Department's management procedures and policies with regard to controls on firearms and ammunition remain robust. To date, no issues of asset reconciliation have come to my attention.

The Deputy will appreciate that given the particular security considerations attached to firearms, the Department does not generally publish any details concerning the number of firearms held or their location. If the Department becomes aware of the loss of a firearm, it will of course notify the Garda Síochána.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My question did not drop out of the sky. Members of staff in the National Parks and Wildlife Service have concerns with regard to the arms and ammunition held by the service. The Minister of State has told the House that an audit was carried out in 2016 and the 2017 audit has just commenced. Is this a regular occurrence? Are arms and munitions audited annually? Is the Minister of State satisfied that the 2016 audit has delivered the required level of detail to ensure the Department complies with the Firearms Acts? There is real concern among staff members in the National Parks and Wildlife Service that some arms and munitions are unaccounted for. The Minister of State is telling me that the audit is done and that he is happy with it, but it is not available to the public. Would it be made available to me or anybody else who might submit a freedom of information request in respect of it? I would like to hear the Minister of State reiterate that he is happy with the 2016 audit. When is it likely that the results of the 2017 audit, which has commenced, will be available?

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My understanding is that a report is compiled every year. The 2016 audit has already been carried out. I am waiting for that report to come to the management board. All Ministers will get a copy of that. I am sure information will be made available. The Deputy will understand that some information is sensitive. Information relating to the location of arms and ammunition cannot be thrown around. For security reasons, we are not allowed to provide such information. I have been told by officials in my Department that no issues in respect of missing ammunition or equipment arose in 2016. I cannot tell the Deputy more. I am being honest when I say that. In addition to the 2017 review, there will be an examination of procedures to make sure they are carried out in accordance with regulations. I assure the Deputy that I have been assured by my Department that nothing warranting an investigation was found in 2016. The 2017 audit is now taking place. There are further security checks this year because we want to make sure nobody is put in danger. We cannot say what ammunition we have or where that ammunition is located. We cannot say what rifles or guns are held for use by our rangers.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I accept the Minister of State's comment to the effect that he has been informed by his Department that the audit for 2016 is in good condition. However, he has not seen that audit.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

No.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

When will he see the 2016 and 2017 audits? The Minister responsible needs to look at those audits. There are concerns about the systemic underfunding of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This is a reflection of other issues like the underfunding of the protection of corncrakes and curlews and the mismanagement of moneys going to farmers in the wrong places for the protection of the right birds. I do not have time to go into the detail of the anomalies in how proportionately conservation grants are divvied out to farmers. There are problems with the checks that are done to see how those grants are used. For example, there needs to be an assessment of whether farmers are doing the works that are required to protect species like the corncrake and the curlew and of whether there is enough oversight on the whole project. That some of this work has been outsourced to Birdwatch Ireland, an organisation for which I have great respect, is an indication of the systemic underfunding and understaffing of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This could have an impact on the oversight of munitions and arms.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy tabled a simple question about ammunition and guns. I assure her that my officials are telling me that nothing needs to be reported to anybody and that the report which has been done will be before the management board meeting soon. The Deputy also asked about staffing. As she knows, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and I have been in the process of employing new rangers since were appointed to this Department. New rangers are needed. I understand that a massive number of applications have been submitted in response to an advertisement looking for eight new rangers. I hope these jobs will be filled very quickly. The Deputy is quite correct when she suggests that the National Parks and Wildlife Service has a big workload. It has a lot of work to do. It needs more staff. Outgoing staff were not replaced when the economy was not going well. I assure the Deputy that these new staff will be employed and that the positions of those who retire will be filled as well.