About the National Biodiversity Data Centre

The National Biodiversity Data Centre works to make biodiversity data and information more freely available in order to better understand and assist the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity.

Biodiversity data are a key requirement for understanding our natural surroundings, for tracking change in our environment and for gaining a greater insight on how we benefit from, and impact upon, the ecosystem goods and services provided by biological diversity; a national asset which contributes at least €2.6 billion to the Irish economy each year. The National Biodiversity Data Centre was established by the Heritage Council in 2007 and is funded by the Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Data Centre is operated under a service level agreement by Compass Informatics Limited, an information and location technologies company focused on applications in natural resources and planning.

For an overview of the role and work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre please download the Introduction to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.

Staff


The Centre’s staff are responsible for the development and delivery of a work programme to meet the strategic objectives identified by the Management Board. Staff are also responsible for the day to day running of the Centre at Beechfield House. The full-time staff are supported by a team of developers, employed by Compass Informatics, who are responsible for development of the Centre’s data management and web mapping system.
Dr. Liam Lysaght
Centre Director
Dr. Úna FitzPatrick
Senior Ecologist
Colette O’Flynn
Invasive Species Officer
Niamh Phelan
Biodiversity Engagement Officer
Dave Wall
Citizen Science Officer
Dr. Saorla Kavanagh
Project Manager
Dr. Michelle Judge
Data Manager
Oisín Duffy
Surveys and Records Officer
Ruth Wilson
Farmland Pollinator Officer
Dr. Michelle Larkin
National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme Officer
Sarah Kelly
Agri Business Officer
Martina O’Brien
Invasive Species Engagement Officer
Kate Chandler
Pollinator Plan Communities and Engagement Officer
Owen Beckett
Research Officer

Management Advisory Board


The Heritage Council established a Management Advisory Board to advise on scientific, technical and policy aspects of the work of the Data Centre, and to assist with the planning and delivery of core activities. It meets on a quarterly basis and reports annually to the Heritage Council.
Dr. Andy Bleasdale
Grade 1 in Scientific Unit at National Parks and Wildlife
Bernadette Guest
Heritage Office, Waterford County Counci
Declan Quigley
Senior Port Officer with the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority
Jack Nolan
Senior Inspector at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Dr. Matthew Jebb
Director of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland
Dr. Micheál Lehane
Director of the Environmental Protection Agency
Paolo Viscardi
Assistant Keeper at the National Museum of Ireland
Dr. Peter McLoughlin
Head of School of Science and Computing Department, WIT
Virginia Teehan
Chief Executive at The Heritage Council
Rachel Kenny
Director of Planning of An Bord Pleanála

The National Biodiversity Data Centre is Ireland’s node to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Partners


The National Biodiversity Data Centre could not deliver its extensive work programme, nor could it achieve the progress it has done in terms of promoting biodiversity recording without the strong support it has received from its partners. Some of the key partners are listed below.

State Bodies

Bord Bia
Bord na Móna
Coillte
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Environmental Protection Agency
Inland Fisheries Ireland
Marine Institute
National Botanic Gardens
National Economic State & Social Council
National Museum of Ireland
National Parks & Wildlife Service
Office of Public Works
The Heritage Council

Local Authorities

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Carlow County Council
Clare County Council
Cork City Council
Derry City & Strabane District Council
Donegal County Council
Dublin City Council
Dun Laoghaoire Rathdown County Council
Fermanagh & Omagh district council
Fingal County Council
Galway City Council
Galway County Council
Kerry County Council
Kildare County Council
Kilkenny County Council
Laois County Council
Leitrim County Council
Limerick City & County Council
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council
Longford County Council
Louth County Council
Mayo County Council
Monaghan County Council
Offaly County Council
Roscommon County Council
South Dublin County Council
Tipperary County Council
Waterford City and County Council
Wexford County Council
Wicklow County Council

Non-Governmental Organisations

Abbeyleix Bog Project
An Taisce
Bat Conservation Ireland
BirdWatch Ireland
Botanical Society of Britian and Ireland
Burren Beo
Cork Nature Network
Irish Naturalists’ Journal
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
Irish Wildlife Trust
Moths Ireland
South & East Cork Area Development
Tree Council of Ireland
Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club
Woodlands of Ireland

Record biodiversity


Submit your records or view record statistics on Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal

Explore data maps


Biodiversity Maps is Ireland's mapping and data portal, compiling biodiversity data from multiple sources and making it freely available online

Top 10


Biodiversity Ireland's Top 10
  • Contact Us
  • +353 51 306 240
  • National Biodiversity Data Centre
    Beechfield House,
    Waterford Institute of Technology West Campus,
    Carriganore,
    Co. Waterford,
    Ireland.
    X91 PE03

Download our free smartphone app for recording in the field
Android App
Apple App

The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a programme of the Heritage Council and is operated under a service level agreement by Compass Informatics. The National Biodiversity Data Centre is funded by the Heritage Council and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

 

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