Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the arrangements in place for controlling the population of wild mink in the country; the estimated extent of this population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21886/10]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the assessed damage and destruction of other wildlife species by wild mink; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21887/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 370 together.

Mink found in the wild in Ireland are descended from animals that escaped from fur farms. They have been breeding in the wild since the 1950s and are now found throughout the country. A report published by my Department in 2009 estimated that the potential population of wild mink in the State was between 20,500 and 33,500 individuals. The report also identified ground nesting birds as the wild species most vulnerable to mink predation. Accordingly, my Department is concentrating its resources on protecting the nesting sites of rare and threatened bird species including red-throated divers, corncrakes, waders and terns from a range of predators including mink. Experience has shown that targeted control of predators at specific times can have a significant benefit to the breeding success of these species. This year some €60,000 will be spent on this work. As wild mink are not protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 they can also be trapped freely by landowners and their agents.