To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline the additional (i) actions; and (ii) resources that have been deployed to assist with the management of large crowds visiting Crawfordsburn Country Park during recent months.

Crawfordsburn Country Park is an exceptionally busy site which attracts large numbers of visitors especially in periods of good weather. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has seen the site become even more popular as a destination. During the recent May bank holiday weekend more than 4000 cars visited the site through the main park entrance and an estimated 20,000 people visited the site, including an estimated 10,000 through the Helens Bay entrance, between Saturday and Monday of the holiday weekend.

In terms of the additional actions and resources deployed, I can confirm that;

A range of signage has been enhanced across the site in relation to: the prohibition of alcohol consumption, the lighting of fires, dog foul disposal, smashing of glass bottles, damage to trees and park property, the holding of organised/commercial events, and traffic management.

Two additional All Terrain Vehicles have been provided to the site to further support site servicing.

Additional staff are being substantively employed increasing the number of permanent park rangers from 3 to 5. There will also be additional engagement of 3 seasonal rangers over the summer period. (7 staff are currently in place)

Furthermore more additional staff within NIEA have been and continue to assist through voluntary overtime to support the site over weekend periods, often working late into the evening.

An extended staff presence has and is being provided on site, which has been coupled to a dedicated senior management presence on site over weekend/busy periods. Over the recent weekend of 12/13 June a staff presence, including senior management, was maintained, working on site 16 hours of the day on the Saturday and 15 hours on the Sunday from the early morning to late at night. Over the bank holiday weekend of 29th May, staff worked on site including senior management, from the early hours, again to late at night, providing an onsite working presence for 13 hours on the Saturday, 18 hours on the Sunday and 16 hours on the bank holiday Monday.

Staff have also volunteered (and will no doubt continue to do so despite this not being part of their duties) to clean the beach toilets on several occasions in order for them to remain open in the evenings when the site has been particularly busy. (Budget cover has been confirmed and approval has been provided for contracted cleaners to carry out further cleaning of the public toilet facilities at both Helen’s Bay and the Beach toilets on site so that they may be kept open safely in the evenings in keeping with the park opening hours, unfortunately the contracted cleaners have not been able to deliver this service yet as they do not have sufficient staff in place, but they are currently recruiting for this purpose).

Staff continue to monitor the site for anti-social behaviour and maintain strong communications with the PSNI and continue to work closely with PSNI and indeed other emergency services as and when incidents occur on site.

NIEA site staff and management have worked and continue to work tirelessly to manage the park, to maintain safe public access, to manage traffic and to keep on top of servicing the site. I am sure that the staff concerned would welcome recognition and appreciation from local elected representatives, local residents and users of the site for the considerable additional work and efforts put in by their team to service the park. The task of maintaining this and other sites is significant and users can greatly assist by acting responsibly and adhering to signage regarding disposal of litter and dog fouling and other behaviours. Such responsible behaviour would help maintain these sites in a good and safe condition for all to enjoy.