Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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255. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason Sherkin Island in County Cork was not designated as chough habitat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19101/15]

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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256. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason Dursey Island in County Cork was not designated as chough habitat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19102/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 256 together.

Much of Dursey Island, Co. Cork, was designated as part of the Beara Peninsula Special Protection Area (SPA), under the EU Birds Directive. The Chough was one of the species for which the site was chosen. Sherkin Island was not designated as an SPA.

The Chough SPA network includes breeding cliffs and adjacent cliff top feeding areas; roosts; and other key feeding areas, such as sand dunes and other areas regularly used by high numbers of Chough. The identification of the most suitable sites and their boundaries for SPA designation purposes was largely based on the last national breeding Chough survey in 2002-03 and a 3-year research project. The Chough SPA network accounted then for approximately 63% of the national population and was considered fully adequate to meet Ireland’s obligations under the Birds Directive.

The number of choughs recorded on Sherkin during the survey was very low and, for that reason, designation was not considered necessary.