Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the law on protection of bird nesting applies to all birds or only protected species; if bird nesting of all bird species is protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22869/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Under the Wildlife Acts, all wild birds and their nests and eggs are designated as being protected. In addition, the Acts make it an offence for a person to wilfully take or remove the eggs or nest of a wild bird (otherwise than in accordance with a licence issued by my Department), or to wilfully destroy, injure or mutilate the eggs or nest of a wild bird, or to wilfully disturb a wild bird on or near a nest containing eggs or unflown young. In addition, the Wildlife Acts also afford extra protection to wild birds as they prohibit the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation growing on uncultivated land or in hedges or ditches during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife, from 1 March to 31 August. Hedgerows and scrub are important as wildlife habitats, particularly for nesting birds, and they need to be managed in the interests of both farming and biodiversity.