Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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48. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline his response to the first national report on bird of prey persecution and poisoning which showed that there were 33 confirmed incidents here in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38469/13]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The first National Report on Bird of Prey Persecution and Poisoning was published by my Department in July of this year. It provided records from 2011, building on collaboration between my own Department (National Parks & Wildlife Service), the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (Regional Veterinary Labs) and the Department of Finance (State Laboratory).

Birds of prey, such as eagles and harriers, are an indicator of the state of Ireland’s ecological health. They are also a key part of our heritage and of great benefit to tourism. I am, therefore, committed to pursuing the perpetrators of any deliberate poisoning and persecution incidents.

However, the report also showed a substantial number of unintentional incidents, mostly through secondary poisoning where the birds appear to have eaten rats that had themselves been poisoned. Therefore, I welcome the setting up of an Irish Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use, which will be launched at the National Ploughing Championships next week. Officials of my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will sit on the advisory board of the Campaign. I am hopeful that alerting people to the need for great care in the use of rodenticides will reduce the number of secondary poisoning incidents.

The second annual report, detailing relevant incidents for 2012, is due to be published soon.