Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the National Parks and Wildlife Service are expected to complete their threat response plan for the conservation of hen harriers at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11864/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Under the EU Birds Directive, six Special Protection Areas have been classified for the conservation of Hen Harrier. A recent survey recorded significant declines in some of these sites, which are considered to be traditional strongholds of this species’ breeding range.

Under regulation 39 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, provision is made to develop and implement an appropriate threat response plan in order to meet the objectives of the Birds Directive. The threat response plan will incorporate measures intended to cease, avoid, reduce or prevent threats, pressures or hazards that may be having an adverse effect on the conservation status of a species of bird referred to in Article 1 of the Birds Directive and/or causing the deterioration of the habitats of species for which a Special Protection Area has been classified pursuant to the Birds Directive.

The development of a threat response plan for the conservation of Hen Harrier in Ireland is underway and my Department is currently engaged in a procurement process to secure the necessary support in order to undertake this process in a timely and efficient manner. My Department will be working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in exploring the areas of overlap between the conservation of habitat for the Hen Harrier and the forestry and agricultural sectors in the location referred to by the Deputy, with a view to finding practicable and manageable solutions to reverse the significant Hen Harrier population declines that have been recorded. My Department will also engage with other stakeholders in order to ensure that all relevant sectors are involved in this process.