Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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774. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide copies of all licence applications under the birds directive, under section 42 of the Wildlife Act 1976 or under other legal means allowable, received to date in 2019 in which the applicants were seeking to exercise controls on seagull species and-or their nests and or eggs; the outcome for all such applications with regard to licences granted and licences denied; and the reason in each case. [26154/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I am arranging for the Deputy to be provided with the relevant documents referred to in the Question.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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775. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the damage being caused in respect of the eight licences granted by her Department to Dublin City Council to scare seagulls off the treated public water reservoirs at Stillorgan and Ballyboden, each of which cited the serious damage criterion of the section 42 provisions in the Wildlife Act 1976; the characteristics of the damage such that it was claimed to be serious by the applicant and accepted as being serious by her Department; and if the interests of public health and safety as catered for in the EU birds directive was a determining factor in the granting of the licences. [26155/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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There are provisions under the Wildlife Acts allowing for the control of bird species in certain circumstances. There is a facility under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts whereby organisations and individuals may apply to my Department for permits, on a case by case basis, to prevent serious damage caused by individual protected animals and birds on specific lands. Permissions are only issued where there is evidence of such damage.

Dublin City Council were granted a number of Section 42 permits since 2014 to control seagulls at the Stillorgan reservoir and the Ballyboden water treatment plant. The permits were granted on the basis that, given that both reservoirs were open to the elements, the seagulls were fouling the reservoirs' waters in both facilities and this was considered a serious issue of damage. The control method involved in all cases was the use of falcons to scare seagulls and the culling of seagulls was not permitted.

It is my Department's understanding that the reservoir at Ballyboden is now roofed in and consequently the scaring of seagulls is not necessary.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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776. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide copies of all correspondence since 2016 between her Department and the European Commission and-or the EU Directorate-General for Environment in respect of controls on seagull species, compliance with the birds directive and compliance with reporting requirements, including quantitative data. [26156/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I am arranging for the Deputy to be provided with the relevant documents referred to in the Question.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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777. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is monitoring the serious harm being caused by seagull colonies to fauna in urban settings, for example, in St. Stephen's Green and Marley Park; if her Department is directly responsible under Article 9.1(c) for the protection of the fauna being harmed; and if not, if her Department relies on other agencies and organisations to seek protection of at risk fauna. [26157/19]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department is aware of the impact of gull species in urban areas. My Department has received no reports of serious harm caused by seagull colonies of the type referred to in St Stephen's Green and Marley Park.

There are provisions under the Wildlife Acts allowing for the control of bird species in certain circumstances. There is a facility under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts whereby organisations, such as local authorities, and individuals may apply to my Department for permits, on a case by case basis, to prevent serious damage caused by individual protected animals and birds on specific lands. Permissions are only issued where there is evidence of such damage. Legislation in relation to the conservation of bird species in line with the EU Birds Directive, which I presume is being referred to in the question, comes within the remit of my Department.