Leitrim County Council allocated funding for biodiversity officer

Leitrim is one of 11 local authority areas to be awarded funding for the appointment of a biodiversity officer.

Malcolm Noonan TD announced the funding today. The latest tranche of funding will see biodiversity officers appointed in Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, and Tipperary County Councils, along with Limerick City and County Council, and the new positions are expected to be filled by September 2023.

The new biodiversity officers will: advise their local authority on biodiversity issues and the authority’s obligations in relation to protecting biodiversity; promote a best practice response to conservation efforts and help local authorities to fully integrate nature conservation into all of their policies and plans.

Minister Noonan said: "Having access to this kind of expertise at a local level is invaluable to communities that want to engage with this issue and take real, practical action to address the biodiversity crisis. It’s a really important additional resource to empower our local authorities in their work to protect and restore nature.”