Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 493: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of licences which have been issued by the national parks and wildlife service division of his Department under section 23(6) of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, specifically for the capture and humane killings of badgers for each of the Twenty-six Counties in each of the years from 1995 through to 2003. [5096/04]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimated badger population; the total number and the number per square kilometre in each of the Twenty-six Counties for each of the years from 1995 through to 2003; and the confidence limits of the estimates. [5098/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 494 together.

My Department is responsible for the issue of licences under section 23 of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 to the Department of Agriculture and Food to capture and humanely kill badgers as part of its continued research into bovine tuberculosis. The numbers of licences issued since 1995 are as follows: 1995, 337 licences; 1996, 329 licences; 1997, 423 licences; 1998, 361 licences; 1999, 503 licences; 2000, 591 licences; 2001, 477 licences; 2002, 810 licences; 2003, 383licences.

My Department does not have to hand the breakdown of these figures per county, however this information is being compiled and will beforwarded to the Deputy as soon aspossible.

The most recent survey of the badger population was carried out in 1995. The badger and habitat survey of Ireland was funded by the national parks and wildlife service of the Department of Agriculture and Food. This report estimated that there was a badger population in the order of 200,000 in Ireland. While no county or local breakdown of population numbers was provided, the report gives some statistics on regional variations in the density of badger social groups by county. The lowest densities were in several western and north-western counties and in Wicklow, these counties being generally distinguished by their large areas of upland, bog or moor. The six counties with the highest badger densities were all located in the broad midland zone, Kilkenny, Louth, Limerick, Meath, Offaly and Westmeath, counties with a relatively large proportion of quality grazing land. Three further counties, Carlow, Clare and Cork, had slightly lower densities. The lowest density was recorded in County Longford and the highest in County Kilkenny.

I am arranging for a copy of The Badger and Habitat Survey of Ireland to be forwarded to the Deputy and for a copy to be placed in the Oireachtas Library.