Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Not only are mink a threat to other species of wildlife, they are also a threat to domestic fowl. The Deputy has referred to a few incidents which occurred in west Kerry. I can inform him that similar incidents took place in the northern part of the county where a huge flock of turkeys was completely wiped out just prior to Christmas. What is happening is also affecting people economically. This is a matter which we must address. To that end, I have made €20,000 available this year. The total cost to the Department for the control of mink is approximately €100,000, but we will have to provide more resources in the future.

In the Hebrides in Scotland it was proved that with a proper eradication programme, mink could be exterminated in an environment. However, that was on a smaller island. To exterminate mink entirely in this country it would cost approximately €100 million, a significant amount of money. This is a very important issue, especially if we consider ground-nesting birds, to which mink are doing more damage than any other species. Such birds include the corncrake, a rare species.

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