Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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612. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, if she agrees that either no or very poor Irish scientific data were used to change the burning dates, as per section 40 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27636/15]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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613. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, if she will confirm that Irish scientific egg-laying data were not used to inform the changes made to the burning dates, as per section 40 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27637/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 612 and 613 together.

As indicated in reply to Question No. 247 of 14 May 2015, the start of the closed period for hedge cutting was extended, under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, to 1 March, in recognition of the generally accepted nesting and breeding season in order to afford further protection to wild birds. While, as indicated in that reply, this decision would have been informed by the scientific advice available at the time, I am advised that there is no record in my Department of the specific data used for that purpose.