Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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449. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the definition of a national park and a regional park; the statutory protection each covers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63005/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Regional Parks are public parks and are managed and operated by Local Authorities and the Office of Public Works.  A National Park is a protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection, protecting natural biodiversity, promoting education and recreation, and in Ireland, the national parks represent the very best examples of such areas.

State owned and run National Parks are managed as Category II National Parks under the criteria set out by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Under this Category, ownership and management should normally be by the highest competent authority of the State. Accordingly, all National Parks in Ireland are fully owned and managed by the State through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Division of my Department. It is the policy of my Department to abide by the criteria and standards for the National Parks laid down by the IUCN which can be found at www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/about/protected-areas-categories/category-ii-national-park.

With regard to statutory protection of National Parks, the principal national legislation, providing for the protection of wildlife and the control of some activities that may adversely affect wildlife, is the Wildlife Act 1976, and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000.  Conservation of biodiversity within our National Parks network has been strengthened and expanding by EU law, most notably, EU Directives 92/43/EEC 1992 (Habitats Directive), 2009/147/EC (Birds Directive), 2011/92/EU (EIA Directive) and 2001/43/EC (SEA Directive).  The State Property Act 1954 and the National Monuments Act 1930 make provisions for the vesting and management of state owned property and the protection and preservation of national monuments respectively.

Through the NPWS, my Department manages an extensive network of natural heritage sites of some 87,000 hectares. The six existing National Parks of Ireland account for circa 65,000 hectares of this network.  I am ever mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities relating to the management of these national parks.  Irelands National Parks are managed from a conservation perspective, and attract in excess of 4 million visitors annually.  My Departments on-going commitment to the preservation and protection of our natural heritage can be recognised through the major capital investment programmes, with a strong emphasis on conservation and the protection and preservation of our most fragile environments.