A TD has raised a number of concerns over the review process carried out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) into the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) it maintains with rural groups.

Offaly TD Carol Nolan posed a parliamentary questions to Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne on the issue.

The NPWS is under the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Nolan asked if all stakeholders involved in MoUs with the NPWS have been notified of this review process, and if there was a timeline in place for the completion of these reviews.

Replying to the independent TD, Minister Browne said that the NPWS currently maintains MoUs with a range of partner organisations across the public, voluntary and community sectors.

"These MoUs support cooperation, information-sharing, and the effective delivery of services," he said.

"These are subject to structured and periodic review to ensure they remain current, proportionate and fully aligned with statutory requirements and organisational priorities," the minister added.

According to Minister Browne, the review process involves four stages:

Internal assessment - examination of each MoU’s purpose, scope, and operational relevance;
Stakeholder engagement - consultation with the partner organisations to obtain their views on the relevance, effectiveness, and future direction of the MoU;
Drafting and revision - updating the terms of the MoUs where necessary to reflect current practice, governance standards, and legislative obligations;
Approval and publication - finalisation of the revised MoUs, followed by approval through the NPWS’s governance structures.

The NPWS works with partner organisations as part of each review process, and provides opportunities for a "collaborative approach", seeking clarifications and proposing amendments, the minister said.

He added: "Review timelines for each MoU are managed case by case and in line with organisational priorities and governance requirements, ensuring all agreements are examined against defined criteria and maintained to the required standards."

Reacting to the minister's statement, Nolan said: "These MoUs govern vital cooperation on land management, conservation, information-sharing, and service delivery, all issues that directly impact farmers, rural communities, and agricultural practices."

Nolan expressed concerns that no specific timeline is in place for carrying out these reviews.

She also questioned if farm organisations and rural groups with long-standing working relationships with the NPWS have been formally notified of any upcoming review.

"Rural Ireland and the agricultural sector rely heavily on practical, cooperative relationships with the NPWS. Farmers manage the vast majority of Ireland’s land and play a central role in biodiversity, habitat management, and the rural economy," Nolan said.

"Any review of MoUs must not become a vehicle for top-down changes that undermine these partnerships," the TD added.