Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will ask one more question since no one else is indicating.

Dr. Lynn mentioned that birds were not her area of expertise. On the general approach, and again this relates to agri-environment schemes, some of the bespoke schemes for many wading species were successful, certainly at the beginning. It is to be hoped the curlew project will have some success. As part of the new agri-environment schemes, we will see more wading species included in the bespoke schemes. We have seen the success of the hen harrier project and the corncrake project is having success. Certain species of birds that sometimes go under the radar are disappearing in front of our eyes. If Dr. Lynn is unable to answer this, perhaps she could feed it back to the Department. I am thinking of farmland passerines, which include the linnet and buntings such as the yellowhammer. The yellowhammer in particular is a bird that is pretty much disappearing in front of our eyes. Unless we intervene, it will meet the same fate as the corn bunting, which is extinct in Ireland. Is there a plan in the NPWS or the Department to go further than the current schemes for wading species and raptors, which are easier to create, and consider schemes for smaller passerines which are declining at an alarming rate?