Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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643. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding staffing levels in the National Parks and Wildlife Service in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40654/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department directly employs some 565 staff, who operate across a broad range of functions within my Department’s programme areas (Arts, Culture and Film, Heritage, Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands and North/South Co-operation). As the Deputy will appreciate, the staff of my Department are allocated to these various functional areas on the basis of need, having regard to a number of factors including overall resource availability. The majority of administrative staff are based in departmental offices in Dublin, Killarney, Na Forbacha, Co Galway, and Wexford, with regional and field staff (mainly at professional, technical and industrial grades) dispersed across the country. Of the total Departmental staff, 283 work in the area of natural heritage through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department. In addition, approximately 70 further seasonal staff are engaged during the year to assist the NPWS with its activities. The staffing requirements in this area, as with all other areas of my Department, is the subject of on-going consideration in light of the overall business needs and within the pay framework approved for 2015. Within this context, I am satisfied that the NPWS continues to fulfil a comprehensive and valuable role in the conservation and protection of our natural heritage and delivers and excellent service to the public.

Staffing requirements for both Killarney National Park and Killarney House remain the subject of consideration in light of my Department’s overall business needs and the approved pay framework for 2015 and 2016. As the final phase of restoration, refurbishment and new works at Killarney House is currently ongoing, the nature and extent of posts required, including their budgetary implications, have yet to be finally determined.