Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1018. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total number of persons within the National Parks and Wildlife Service who currently hold authorised person status under the Wildlife Acts 1976–2018 and authorised officer status under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, for each year since 2019, in tabular form; and the number of those authorised persons or officers who initiated prosecutions for wildlife crime for each year since 2019, in tabular form. [58184/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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The following table sets out the total number of staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department who held authorised person status under the Wildlife Acts 1976–2018 and authorised officer status under the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, for each year from 2019 to 2025. These figures reflect the number of NPWS staff who were issued with valid authorisation cards under the relevant legislation during each respective year.

Fluctuations in these numbers occur due to normal staff turnover, new appointments and the periodic renewal of authorisation cards as required under the governing legislation. These changes are part of the NPWS ongoing operational management to ensure that appropriate officers are empowered to carry out their statutory duties including those relating to wildlife protection, enforcement, monitoring and conservation management.

Since 2019 the NPWS has initiated 225 cases for prosecution cases on behalf of the Minister relating to alleged breaches of wildlife legislation. Each cases represents a distinct set of proceedings, though it is important to note that a single case may involve multiple alleged offences, and may require the issuance of multiple summonses. For the purpose of reporting such related proceeding are recorded as one case. Typically a number of authorised officers / persons within the NPWS play key roles throughout the prosecution process in a case, including initiating investigations, gathering evidence, preparing cases and representing the Minister in court.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1019. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of times the National Parks and Wildlife Service, acting as the primary lead agency responsible for the enforcement of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, acted as the lead investigators into alleged breaches of this legislation. [58185/25]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is an executive agency of my Department with primary responsibility for nature conservation and protection. One of its functions is the prevention, investigation and enforcement of non-compliance with wildlife legislation including the EU Birds and Habitats Regulations 2011.

Reports of alleged breaches of legislation received by the NPWS are assessed and, where appropriate, investigated by NPWS officers or referred to the appropriate authority. Where necessary, NPWS may be supported by other State bodies or agencies, such as An Garda Síochána, in the course of its investigations. Since 2020 NPWS have initiated prosecutions for 210 cases it has investigated.