Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
628. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the consultation for Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí; when the outcomes will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14046/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland’s eighth and largest National Park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí, with more than 70,000 acres of lands and seas in public ownership, was announced in April 2024.
It brought together new acquisitions by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), such as the Conor Pass, the Owenmore River catchment, lands at Mount Brandon and the sand dune system at Inch Peninsula, along with sites already under State ownership, such as the limestone reefs of Kerry Head Shoals and the waters around the Blasket Islands.
In 2025, the NPWS completed a public consultation on Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara to inform and shape the development of the Páirc. It included a nationwide public consultation and online survey, meetings between NPWS staff and local communities, and workshops with community groups. This consultation built on previous NPWS engagement with local communities. 159 responses were submitted to the online survey and 21 submissions were received by email from a variety of stakeholders including members of the public, local residents, landowners, farmer, business owners and group representatives. Meeting attendees and workshop participants included landowners, representatives from local fishing communities, representatives from the tourism sector, environmental groups and local communities from Blascaod Mór, Clochán-Breannain, Inch, Corca Dhuibne and Baile an Fheirtéaraigh.
The draft consultation report is at an advanced stage, and it will be discussed with stakeholders in the near future. Once the report is finalised it will be published online.
Work by the NPWS in Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí is continuing and includes improvements to the Valentia tetrapod trackway and planned sand dune restoration at Inch.
