Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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177. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of technical staff who work in a part-time capacity in NPWS's marine ecology team, including specialists in ornithology, marine mammal and benthic ecologists to provide scientific advice regarding the development of offshore renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58512/22]

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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178. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the number of technical staff who work in a full-time capacity in NPWS's marine ecology team, including specialists in ornithology, marine mammal and benthic ecologists to provide scientific advice regarding the development of offshore renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58513/22]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together.

On the 17 November 2022, there were 29 full time ecologists working in the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) Scientific Advice and Research Directorate. There are no part time scientific staff in the Directorate at this time.

Workforce planning and assignment of staff to specific areas of work in the Directorate are a matter for my Department based on available resources and current priorities. Scientific staff in NPWS may work across a range of areas including matters relating to offshore renewable energy.