Written answers

Tuesday, 10 July 2018

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

EU Directives

Photo of Brendan  RyanBrendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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976. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the review of the wild birds derogation process 2018 has been completed; if the final report has been submitted to her Department; and the date on which the final report will be published. [30992/18]

Photo of Brendan  RyanBrendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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977. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the wild birds derogation process, and the development or revision of policy that might arise from the 2018 review, specifically on urban gull issues and the serious negative impacts on communities and the public health and safety concerns caused by such issues, will be urgently addressed; and if new or revised policy arising will be published (details supplied). [30993/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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978. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if representations have been received from all public representatives of the local community in north County Dublin since summer 2016 with regard to the interim report of the review of the wild birds derogation process 2018, submitted to her Department on 18 April 2018, specifically on the section 2.0 recommendations for the 2018-2019 derogation (details supplied). [31018/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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979. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if authority and responsibility for derogations on public health and safety grounds, as described in Article 9.1(a) of the birds directive, rest with her Department in view of previous statements that the review of the wild birds derogation process would address public health and safety in addition to taking into account relevant policy and operational practices across the EU. [31019/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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980. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the basis on which it is asserted there are shortfalls in EU compliance in regard to a section of the interim report of the review of the wild birds derogation process 2018 (details supplied); the way in which and the reason they have come about; the possible consequences of these shortfalls; the way in which they will be addressed; and the person or body that holds responsibility for addressing same. [31020/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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981. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when the scheduled final report from the review of the wild birds derogation process will be published; and if it is planned that recommendations requiring the involvement of other State bodies, for example, local authorities, in addition to collaborative planning and-or funding will be acted upon ahead of the autumn 2018 planning and budgeting cycle, which will set operational plans and resources for 2019. [31021/18]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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982. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the date on which revised or new policies arising from the outcomes of the review of the wild birds derogation process will be published. [31022/18]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 976 to 982, inclusive, together.

My Department is currently undertaking a review of the derogation process under Article 9 of the EU Birds Directive which will take account of all relevant factors, including perceived threats, distribution and population data available in respect of all the bird species in the derogations. ANIAR Ecology were appointed by my Department to undertake the review following a public tendering process. My Department has received a draft of the final report from the consultants and following consideration of the draft report by my Department the final report will be concluded.

An interim report was received from the consultants in April, which included recommendations in respect of the derogation process, including in relation to the 2018/19 declarations. The consultants indicate in their interim report that the inclusion of gulls in the derogation is challenging in terms of compliance with the Birds Directive on the basis of their view that an analysis of other possible solutions needs to be set out and reviewed, the status of the herring gull is unfavourable and the effects of mitigation actions taken on the gull species concerned are not measurable. While the inclusion of gulls in the derogation was limited to the Balbriggan area only for a limited trial period and does not involve the actual culling of gulls, I will take full account of the consultants' views in the context of future derogations and following consideration of the consultants final report, a draft of which has been sent to my Department.

My Department has received representations from the local community group referred to in relation to the interim report. This report has already been published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department.

Following consideration of the consultants' final report, my Department will engage with relevant stakeholders.

The ultimate statutory authority on the derogations resides with me.

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