Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends to take to curb the population of the grey squirrel, which is a threat to the native smaller red squirrel and to many songbirds; and his views on initiating a contraceptive programme for the grey squirrel as has been done in other countries. [22488/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Environment and Heritage Service, Northern Ireland are currently preparing an All Ireland Species Action Plan for the protection of the Red Squirrel, similar to those already published for a number of other species.

The primary issue for the plan to address is competition with the grey squirrel and all appropriate measures will be considered, including management of forests to favour red over grey squirrels. It is planned to engage in public consultations on the draft, as in the case of previous Species Action Plans, prior to final publication later this year. The new Species Action Plan will involve a number of actions on grey squirrel control.

The Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and Food are also currently funding a project titled "Securing Ireland's Broadleaf Forests and Conservation of Native Red Squirrels through integrated Management of Grey Squirrels". One of the primary objectives of this project is the control of the alien grey squirrel population, which, inter alia, is causing damage to forestry. The project is looking at 11 woodlands in which various methods of control are being tested.

Regarding a programme of contraceptive control, research carried out in Britain on the use of contraceptive bait on grey squirrels has showed inconclusive results. Laboratory trials initially proved promising with an immune response created in treated females. Studies progressed to enclosures large enough for squirrels to conduct their normal mating behaviour and the first trial showed a significant reduction in pregnancy rates among treated grey squirrels. Two further enclosure trials and a subsequent field trial in the wild, however, failed to produce a response that was powerful or long-lasting enough to validate the results. Accordingly the present state of knowledge would not support the establishment here of such a programme. However we are continuing to monitor research closely on this and other control technologies.