Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the education programme for north midlands region National Park and Wildlife Service, Ballinafad, County Sligo is being terminated while there is a considerable waiting list of schools and other participants awaiting discovery primary science maths registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10256/14]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The level of funding available to my Department to engage temporary seasonal staff for National Parks, Nature Reserves, Visitor Centres and Education Services run by the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has been reducing over recent years. As such, it has been necessary to prioritise the placement of seasonal staff on an ongoing basis to meet areas of greatest need. A key priority for me is to keep National Parks and Nature Reserves open to the public, to provide quality visitor information and to maintain appropriate health and safety standards at these sites. This will necessitate some cutbacks in other areas this year but, looking to future years, my Department will explore the potential of alternative models to augment its visitor services and nature education services.