Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her actions to stop digging for bait on Bull Island in County Dublin, a practice naturalists describe as inconsistent with the nature reserve status of the island which is having a negative impact on birds on the mudflats. [12241/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Bull Island is a hugely important resource for nature and for the people of Dublin and visitors to the city. It is of very high nature value and also has many other traditional uses that can co-exist with nature, if carried out on a sustainable use basis. The Bull Island is surveyed annually as part of the Irish Wetland Birds Survey, which collects data on the number of wintering birds at sites around the country. My Department reviewed the data for the Bull Island from 2001 to 2014 and has concluded that there is no evidence of any decline of the bird groups such as waterfowl and waders that use and feed on the mudflats.

My Department will continue to review data from the Bull Island and can take action if it is considered necessary.