Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 539: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the measures which are in place or planned to monitor and enforce the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, at national, regional and international levels; the number of convictions in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26378/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES, is implemented at EU level principally by Council Regulation (EC) 338/97, with further aspects being covered by Commission Regulation (EC) 1808/2001. This regulatory regime is stricter than CITES in that it requires permits for the bulk of the species whose trade is regulated by the convention rather than just the very rarest species, as under CITES. In addition, there are controls on internal trade of the rarer species.

The Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 designated my Department as national management authority for CITES, with competence for issuing permits and licences and for enforcing the regulations. In the year 2004, some 33 licences were issued by my Department. My Department also acts as the scientific authority for CITES, providing scientific advice on matters relating to the convention and regulations.

At the operational level, staff of my Department's national parks and wildlife service, together with the Customs and Excise service under its own powers, have been responsible for monitoring and enforcing the convention in Ireland. This includes following up on reports of unlawful importation of CITES protected species, monitoring of advertisements that might indicate unlawful trade in such species, the confiscation of specimens where the necessary documentation cannot be produced and, where appropriate, pursuing cases through the courts.

Since Ireland's ratification of CITES, there have been a number of confiscations of both plant and animal specimens and products. I understand that in 2005 to date there have been seven seizures by customs officials. Seizures by NPWS staff average some five or six annually. One prosecution has so far been brought to court by my Department and a fine was imposed.