Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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122. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will list the number of local authorities that have been funded for biodiversity officers to date; the number that are being employed; the funding allocated for those posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14201/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2022 the Heritage Council and County and City Management Association (CCMA), with the support of my Department, announced funding to ten local authorities to appoint a biodiversity officer. Funding for a biodiversity officer in a further 11 local authorities was announced in February this year.

These positions are in addition to the four biodiversity officers already appointed in Galway City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown and Dublin City.

Of the 21 positions to be funded under the present programme, three have already been filled (in Offaly, Westmeath and Wicklow), a further seven biodiversity officers are expected to be in place by the end of June and the remaining eleven positions are expected to be filled by year-end. The programme has an allocation of €1.6 million.

Details of the 25 local authorities are included in the appended table.