Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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289. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide copies of all relevant communications and correspondence between her Department, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the EU Commission and the EU Directorate-General for the Environment on a matter (details supplied), including all such relevant communications and correspondence exchanged with those EU authorities during the period while the NPWS comes under the auspices of her Department. [18132/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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My Department is aware of the impact of gull species especially in coastal urban areas and in particular to the area referred to in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy.

The State Wide Declaration for the period up to 30 April 2021 allows the killing and capturing of certain wild bird species where they are causing damage to crops, livestock and fauna or represent a threat to public health or safety.The Declaration is published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department at https://www.npws.ie/legislation/irish-law/eu-birds-directive-derogations.  The Declaration includes methods to control seagull species in a specific area in North Dublin for public safety reasons. The control method involves the removal of eggs and nests only and the culling of seagulls is not permitted.

It is stated in the correspondence in question that these Declarations are entirely matters for EU Member States and as a consequence my Department has had no direct correspondence with the Commission on these matters.  However, my Department does provide an annual report to the Commission on derogations issued under Article 9 as required under the Birds Directive.

ANIAR Ecology were appointed by my Department to undertake a comprehensive review of the derogation process under Article 9 of the EU Birds Directive and published their report in October 2018.  In line with the recommendations in the consultant’s report a Consultative Committee was established to undertake a review of the issues surrounding the impact of gulls in urban areas,with an independent chair, whose membership includes representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department, Fingal County Council, a local Community Committee and BirdWatch Ireland.

The remit of the Consultative Committee was not confined to one particular urban area given the widespread range of seagulls.  The Committee was formed in June 2019 and has published its first interim report. This is the Committee referred to in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy.