Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan TD has welcomed a landmark €256 million allocation for nature restoration and heritage in Budget 2026, describing it as a historic investment in Ireland’s natural and built environment.

The funding represents a 15 percent increase on last year’s budget and will support the work of key agencies including the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the National Monuments Service, the National Built Heritage Service, the Heritage Council and Waterways Ireland.

The €256 million allocation includes a 27 percent uplift in capital investment for Ireland’s national parks, nature reserves and Natura sites. It will also fund fire patrols, wildlife crime prevention and invasive species management.

The National Monuments Service and National Built Heritage Service will receive a 10 percent increase to support schemes such as the Historic Structures Fund and the Community Monuments Fund.

The Heritage Council’s budget will rise by 9 percent, while Waterways Ireland will see a 4.3 percent increase to support its work in maintaining and upgrading navigable inland waterways.

Minister O’Sullivan said the increased funding would allow the NPWS to expand its role as the State’s lead agency for nature conservation. He noted that the 20 percent rise in the NPWS budget would enable large-scale habitat restoration, strengthen species recovery and invasive species removal programmes, and support continued investment in Ireland’s national parks and nature reserves. For the first time, the NPWS core budget will exceed €100 million, which the Minister described as a symbolic milestone in sustained investment in nature.

Minister O’Sullivan said Budget 2026 would have a direct impact on local employment, with the preservation of monuments and restoration of built heritage generating thousands of traditional building hours for skilled craftspeople and apprentices. He described the overall increase as both historic and emblematic of the Government’s commitment to nature and heritage.

“In protecting our monuments and waterways, our parks and wild places, we are not just preserving and protecting the past. We are planting the seeds of a living legacy, where built and natural heritage thrive together for generations yet to come,” he said.