The President of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has welcomed the new two-year strategic action plan for the restructuring of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Niall Kelleher said, the plan contains a number of positive initiatives and innovative proposals that will be of enormous benefit to Killarney National Park.

He said the plan, which follows detailed independent reviews, features a timeline to implement a number of recommendations to make the NPWS a more resilient and effective executive agency capable of meeting the many challenges of the 21st century.

“The NPWS has a crucial role to play in Killarney with a very complex range of responsibilities, including the implementing of policies, conservation, enforcement, licensing, biodiversity, scientific advice and planning. The protection, conservation and, following the recent wildfires, restoration of the park is imperative and for the challenges to be properly met, the NPWS needs to be adequately structured, staffed and equipped,” Mr Kelleher said.

He noted that, as the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, have stressed, the comprehensive internal redesign of the NPWS will result in a much stronger focus on customer service, outcomes and delivery for the public as well as more structured engagement with NPWS stakeholders.

Mr Kelleher said the fact that there will be a substantial €55 million investment in the implementation of the new plan indicates the absolute importance the Government is affording to the development and protection of the National Parks.

“I particularly welcome the fact that 60 new full-time jobs will be created immediately in the NPWS with the recruitment of conservation rangers and general operatives. It is equally encouraging that there is a longer-term plan to double the 400 staff currently employed by the service to meet future Irish and European biodiversity targets,” he said.

The Government is determined to have more NPWS staff available to work closely with communities, farmers and other stakeholders and to be in a position to cater for rapidly expanding visitor numbers.

The Chamber President acknowledged that there has been a significant investment in the provision of additional car parking and enhancement of established trails and walkways in Killarney National Park in recent years. He said specific funding must also be provided for the management of the deer population and the control of invasive species, such as rhododendron, and to help improve biodiversity in the large area of the 26,000-acre park damaged by the devastating wildfires.

He added the provision of education and outreach programmes to heighten awareness around biodiversity and to promote sustainable tourism was also a key objective that must be met.