Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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565. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government what measures he is taking to address invasive species in Killarney National Park (details supplied). [2134/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the management of Ireland's network of National Parks. It continues to invest heavily in, and is committed to, tackling the spread of invasive species.

In particular, the control of Rhododendron ponticum is a priority in Killarney National Park (KNP).

This is a challenging, costly, and labour intensive activity, and is addressed as a major priority. The NPWS carries out an annual targeted programme of works across a number of sites in the Park to eliminate and manage the spread of this species.

The method of treatment has changed and evolved over the years and the current method developed in Killarney National Park is considered to be the be the most suitable solution at this time and includes cycles of monitoring, zoning, treating, clearing and reviewing.

The Park is divided into zones, (e.g. woodland, wet and dry heath and blanket bog) with invasives management plans being prepared for each zone. This allows the NPWS to develop a strategy for treatment, choosing areas for prioritising work. Treatment of rhododendron ponticum is continuous during follow up phase, with work currently underway in the western woods. These areas will be resurveyed this year and following the results, it is expected that the NPWS will be able to classify a large area as being in a clearance maintenance phase.

Over the past 5 years there has been over €3.6m spent on Rhododendron elimination and management at Killarney National Park between treatment and monitoring with more than 2,300 acres treated. Work will continue over the coming years to move zones from follow up to clearance maintenance phase with all zones being continually monitored to ensure that the clearance status is ensured.

Just as the methodology employed to control rhododendron ponticum has evolved over the years, so too have the groups, contractors and individuals involved in these efforts. This is something that the NPWS expects will continue to evolve across all our sites into the future.

Equally, the NPWS is acutely aware of the impact that non-native animal species, such as deer and goats, can have on the habitats within the Park and, in particular, on native flora.

Where appropriate, and depending on the annual count and instances of damage caused by deer to habitats, especially woodland, culls are carried out on National Park lands to ensure that deer populations do not reach levels that would have negative ecological consequences. With regard to the management of deer within Killarney National Park, culling is a regular and on-going management operation and is undertaken periodically when resources, weather and timing permit. This allows the NPWS to work towards sustainable herd management, and, as such, there is a need to remove a certain percentage of animals from the herd on an on-going basis.

Between 2019 and 2024, 461 Sika Deer were culled in the Park. During the same period, 501 Red Deer were culled. However, the management of an ecosystem – particularly where that management involves a resource and time intensive intervention such as culling – needs to be targeted and evidence-based in order to ensure maximum benefit. In 2022 a commissioned report indicated that between 2018 and 2021 there was a 13% decline in Sika Deer numbers, underlining the effectiveness of carrying out intensive culling in specific areas.

In relation to the issue of wild goats at Killarney National Park, the NPWS is monitoring the situation. In 2022 Rangers undertook a comprehensive goat survey and the Park has continued to monitor goat numbers since. It will use this information to determine any appropriate goat-specific management strategies required.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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566. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the breakdown of the amount spent on addressing invasive species, broken down by national park, in each of the years from 2019 to date, in tabular form. [2135/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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567. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the breakdown of the amount spent on addressing rhododendron species, broken down by national park, in each of the years 2019 to date, in tabular form. [2136/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 567 together.

Managing invasive species within the boundaries of Ireland’s National Parks system is one of the important areas of work undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department, with a significant amount of resources devoted to this task every year. Invasive species cause grave damage to ecosystems and to conservation objectives, with invasive species colonising the environment and having significant impacts on biodiversity.

The following table outlines the funding allocated for the control of invasive species in each National Park during the 2019-2024 period. It should be noted that the figures included in this table relates to the funding specifically allocated for contracted work on invasive species projects. It does not reflect internal staff time, investment in capital equipment, current resources spent on invasive species management and voluntary effort.

Figures are not available for this date range for the newly established (2024) National Parks, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, County Kerry and Brú na Bóinne, Co. Meath.