Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1057. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way in which the National Parks and Wildlife Service has been supported since 2020; the key achievements in that time; the additional funding which has been provided; the way in which this has expanded the service’s reach and capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58855/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2020, Government has provided substantial and sustained support to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) as part of a comprehensive programme to strengthen Ireland’s capacity for nature conservation and biodiversity protection.

Following the independent Review of the NPWS, completed in 2022, the Government approved the NPWS Renewal Programme, a multi-annual plan to rebuild organisational capacity, enhance governance, and modernise operations. This decision marked a significant step in reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the protection of Ireland’s natural heritage and biodiversity.

Through successive Budgets, investment in the NPWS has nearly tripled from €28.7 million in 2020 to €78 million in 2025 (172% increase). This increased investment has enabled substantial recruitment across all levels of the Service, including new conservation rangers, ecologists and scientific specialists. NPWS headcount has risen from 350 in 2020 to 589 in September 2025 (68% increase), reflecting a significant expansion in the Service’s capacity to deliver on its mission to Protect Nature.

This period has also seen the designation of two new National Parks – Brú na Boinne National Park and Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara (Ireland's first Marine National Park), marking a historic expansion of Irelands National Parks network and reach of the NPWS. Major capital works have also been supported across the existing National Parks and Nature Reserves network.

The enhanced funding has also facilitated the delivery of a wide range of key conservation and biodiversity programmes, including:

• The white-tailed sea eagle reintroduction plan, which saw the release of 27 chicks last August as part of Phase II;
• The Corncrake LIFE project, which saw a 70% increase in corncrake territories to 281 compared to 2018, the highest in 25 years;
• The Peatlands Restoration Scheme, delivering large-scale carbon and biodiversity benefits;
• Expansion of the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme, aiming for 500+ plans by end-2025 to support farmers in protecting nature; and
• A suite of EU LIFE and national restoration projects aimed at improving habitat quality and connectivity across the country.