Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of strategic action plans which are currently in place here to deal with the specifically threatened species; and the initiatives which have been put in place to draw up and implement such strategic action plans in response to the call by the European Commission in May 2006 to do so. [22492/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Last year, four all-island Species Action Plans were published jointly by my Department and by the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland, covering the Corncrake, the Irish Lady's Tresses Orchid, the Pollan (a freshwater fish of the herring family) and the Irish Hare. Earlier work had led to an action plan for the Natterjack Toad, which is not found in Northern Ireland.

A further series of species action plans is being prepared, also involving north/south co-operation. These cover the otter (for which Ireland is one of the most important European strongholds), bat species, the Killarney Fern, the Freshwater Pearl Mussel and the Red Squirrel. Based on successful work in preserving the last indigenous Irish Grey Partridge population at Boora, Co. Offaly, viable population has now been stabilised at Boora and the next stage is to provide conditions for it to expand. A substantial additional area of land has been acquired by my Department from Bord Na Mona to be developed as suitable grey partridge breeding and feeding grounds.

My Department is funding a five-year contract for the development and expansion of the project and one of the outputs will be a species action plan for the Grey Partridge. This programme is being well supported by the local community, and a number of local farmers are carrying out partridge-friendly farming. A number of satellite projects will also be developed, including one to assist in re-introducing the grey partridge to Northern Ireland. I intend that the process of drawing up species action plans will continue as required.