Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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50. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the date on which he received the results of the urban gulls consultative committee; and the number of local authorities and community committees he has circulated them to. [34841/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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51. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has engaged with the EU Commission in respect of urban gulls and-or if it has issued advice and-or direction to him on the matter. [34842/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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52. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the date on which he will bring forward the next wild bird declaration as per a recommendation of the aniar project 2018 . [34843/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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53. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a schedule of local authorities he has collaborated with in respect of public relations campaigns regarding the way in which persons should mitigate disruption caused by seagulls. [34844/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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54. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has engaged a consultancy firm regarding urban gulls in 2021 and 2022; if so, the cost of same; and if the consultancy has provided him with a report on the matters to date. [34845/22]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 to 54, inclusive, together.

The current Wild Bird Declarations (General & Air Safety) that were signed in April 2021, allowing for the control of certain wild bird species, are due to expire on 31st July 2022. A decision on new Declarations covering the period 1st August 2022 to 30 April 2023 will be made prior to the expiry of the current Declarations.

The First Interim Report on progress of the Urban Gull Consultative Committee was received by my predecessor, Minister Josepha Madigan, in April 2020. This was circulated to all the Consultative Committee members which included officials from  Fingal County Council as well as a Community Committee. The Report is available to download at the following link: www.npws.ie/legislation/eu-directives/birds-directive/review-use-article-9-1-a-birds-directive-ireland 

My officials have engaged with the EU Commission in respect of urban gulls. The Commission advises that this issue was not of particular concern to Member States or requiring a special discussion in the Ornis Committee that assists the Commission in the implementation of the Birds Directive nor in the NADEG Committee (Expert Group on Birds and Habitats Directive).

My officials have engaged with Fingal County Council in relation to implementing agreed next steps on the development and implementation of actions, where appropriate e.g. a public relations campaign.

A total of €92,557.50 including VAT was paid to a consultancy firm for the Urban Gull Survey in 2021.