Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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357. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there were any circumstances in which the culling of seals has been permitted by his Department in Irish waters and the EEZ over recent years. [37640/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Both species of seal in Irish waters - the Harbour or Common Seal and the more numerous Grey Seal - are protected under the EU Habitats Directive and Ireland is obliged to maintain their populations at favourable conservation status.

We are also required to monitor these species and report to the European Commission on their conservation status. A standardised monitoring programme has been in place for both since 2009.

Section 42 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides, inter alia, that where protected wild animals or birds are causing serious damage, persons affected may on application to the Minister seek a permission to take appropriate steps to mitigate the damage. A very small number of such applications in a given year will concern seal damage. There were no Section 42 licences issued in 2020 in relation to seals.

Applications are investigated by local staff to determine if serious damage is being caused and if so the most practical method of controlling the problem. Consideration of the license applications made under Section 42 includes reference to any conservation issues facing the protected species in question.

My Department has no plans to undertake a general cull of seals.