Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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352. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the local authorities employing biodiversity officers; the number of biodiversity officers employed by each of the local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21690/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Heritage section is responsible for the implementation of a range of legislation and policy relating to biodiversity and nature in Ireland, not including the employment of biodiversity officers, which falls under the remit of each local authority. At the current time there are five biodiversity officers employed in the following local authorities:

Fingal County Council

Wexford County Council

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

Dublin City Council

Kerry County Council

In addition, the County Heritage Officer Network Programme, run in partnership between the Heritage Council and local authorities, employs twenty-nine heritage officers. Heritage officers work with other sections within the local authorities to develop policies and projects which highlight the importance of our natural and built heritage when planning for the future. They co-ordinate and implement County Heritage Plans and work with local environmental and community groups to organise events throughout the year.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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353. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the local authorities employing heritage officers; the number of heritage officers employed by each local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21691/20]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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355. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the amount of funding allocated to date in 2020 under the grant scheme for county heritage and biodiversity officers; the way in which the funding was divided between biodiversity and heritage officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21693/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 355 together.

The Heritage Officers and the Biodiversity Officers referred to are staff of the local authorities and are not funded directly by my Department.

In relation to the County Heritage Officer Network, however, this is a partnership between the Heritage Council and the Local Authorities. The network is part-funded by both the local authority and by the Heritage Council. Heritage Officers are employed by local authorities with financial, technical and professional support from the Heritage Council. The Heritage Council has allocated €585,000 in 2020 towards salary support and training of Heritage Officers. In addition €589,250 has been allocated to the County Heritage Plans programme which contributes to the operational work programmes of the Heritage Officer in each participating Local Authority. They facilitate the delivery of a structured local heritage service and promote heritage as an influential element in quality of life and economic wellbeing.

There are currently twenty-nine local authorities within the Heritage Officer Network, each employing one heritage officer. There are two local authorities, Carlow and Wexford who do not currently employ heritage officers.